The Dangers of the Marunda-Rorotan Road, When Project Soil Turns Asphalt into a Threat

JAKARTA - A road that should connect residents’ activities in North Jakarta has instead turned into a perilous route. In recent days, the stretch from Marunda to Rorotan has been covered in red soil, making the road surface slippery and dangerous. Kompas.com observations along Jalan Sarang Bango to Jalan Malaka show traces of red soil scattered across the road. Initially appearing thin, it becomes more evident at several points, particularly near school areas and projects. Moreover, when rain falls, the road surface turns muddy and difficult to control. Sofyan (40), a local resident, said the condition was worse the previous day. “Yesterday morning, the traces were thicker. Now, fortunately, it’s starting to fade, perhaps due to the rain as well,” he stated. However, rain exacerbates the risk. The dirty road becomes even more slippery, causing drivers to lose control. The soil traces are suspected to originate from project activities in the Jalan Malaka area. At the site, warning signs for project vehicles entering and exiting reinforce this suspicion. Jamal (45), a parking attendant nearby, said the condition has been ongoing since Ramadan. “Over there (Jalan Malaka), there’s land filling. It’s been going on for a while, I think since Ramadan,” he said. According to him, the situation becomes more dangerous when the piled-up soil mixes with rainwater. Although some of the soil is now fading, the risk has not fully disappeared. Remnants of soil are still visible at several points, posing a threat to daily road users. The Marunda-Rorotan road thus harbours dangers that are not always clearly visible—thin on the surface, but enough to cause falls.