Three-in-one traffic rule to be extended

Three-in-one traffic rule to be extended

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration will extend the times of the three-in-one
traffic policy for motorists traveling Jakarta's main
thoroughfare -- from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West
Jakarta -- as part of the effort to alleviate traffic in the
heavily congested area.

Assistant to the city secretary for development affairs Irzal
Djamal said on Wednesday that the plan to extend the times from
the morning rush hour until the evening would be launched
simultaneously with the busway project.

With the current three-in-one system, only vehicles with three
passengers can enter restricted zones, including Jl. Sudirman,
Jl. Rasuna Said, Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Gatot Subroto from 6.30 a.m
to 10.00 a.m.

Irzal said that the city administration plans to impose the
three-in-one system until the evening rush hour, but the exact
times had not been decided yet.

Irzal said that the implementation of the three-in-one policy
was not effective, particularly because many motorists traveling
the restricted zone hire teenagers from the side of the road to
make up three passengers in the car.

"If the system was well-implemented, it would reduce traffic
congestion in the restricted zone," said Irzal. He said the city
administration would address the problem of three-in-one kids,
but he failed to elaborate further on the plan.

So far, the three-in-one system has failed to curb the volume
of traffic entering the restricted zone. If that so, then the
city administration will have to impose a restriction by limiting
cars according to their license plate numbers.

Irzal said cars with plate numbers ending in one or two would
not be able to travel on Monday, while three and four would not
be allowed on Tuesday, five and six on Wednesday, and so on.
However, he said that all vehicles would be free to use the
restricted zone on Saturday and Sunday.

Irzal said the city would also develop 14 new feeder roads to
allow passengers from almost all directions in the city to enter
the restricted zone.

The planned feeder roads are: from Bekasi to Senayan, Jati
Bening to Senayan, Bandara to Kota, Kelapa Gading to Kota,
Cibubur to Blok M, Depok to Blok M, Pondok Labu to Blok M,
Ciputat to Blok M, Bintaro to Blok M, Ciledug to Blok M, BSD to
the National Monument (Monas), Alam Sutra to Monas, Kota Modern
to Monas and from Lippo Karawaci to Monas.