Four rest areas along Jakarta-Cikampek to open, close to ease return traffic

MUDIK LEBARAN - JAKARTA. Toll road operator Jasa Marga has canceled its plan to close four rest areas, saying that after a meeting with all stakeholders, it would instead apply an "open and close" system depending on the situation.

Initially, the operator planned to close rest areas alongside the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road on the side heading to Jakarta on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. in support of the one way policy to anticipate the return traffic of the Idul Fitri exodus.

"We will add more police officers at each rest area so they could better anticipate congestion there. The police will assist in traffic flow when they close or open each respective rest area," said the head of the Traffic Police at the National Police, Insp. Gen. Refdi Andri, in a statement on Saturday.

The affected rest areas are located on KM 62B, KM 52B, KM 42B and KM 32B of the toll road.

However, Jasa Marga still encouraged people to use other rest areas before the affected ones.

Travelers bound from Semarang in Central Java or Cirebon in West Java can use rest areas located between the Kalikangkung and Cikampek Utara toll road gates, such as those located on KM 389B, KM 360B, KM 282B, KM 260B, KM 229B, KM 208B, KM 166B and KM 102B.

Meanwhile, those bound from Cileunyi or Bandung in West Java can use rest areas located on KM 149B, KM 125B, KM 97B, KM 88B and KM72B on the Cipularang-Padaleunyi toll road.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said closing the four rest areas was part of the ministry's plan to ease return traffic as the spots had seen traffic jams during the exodus.

The National Police Traffic Corps suggested that toll road users use rest areas on the right side of the road when the one-way policy is implemented.