Jakarta’s recently expanded odd-even traffic scheme — which only allows vehicles with odd-numbered plates to use certain major roads during rush hours on odd calendar dates and vice-versa — seems to be a great success, with officials claiming that it has improved traffic flow in the affected zones and pushed people towards public transportation.
Jakarta’s satellite city of Depok seems to have been so inspired by the results that they are contemplating adopting it for Jalan Margonda Raya, a notoriously dense stretch of road even on weekends, that runs through the city’s commercial zone.
Unlike Jakarta’s odd-even scheme though, which will be in effect every day of the week during the upcoming Asian Games, the odd-even rule on Margonda might only apply on weekends, when the number of visitors driving into the city tends to be high.
Depok Mayor M Idris said a trial of the odd-even scheme is being considered by the city administration for the near future.
“Even if there’s a trial, it would last, at most, one or two weeks or two or three Saturdays and Sundays,” he said, as quoted by Detik yesterday.
Idris added that a trial must precede implementation of the odd-even rule as what works in Jakarta may not necessarily work in Depok.
“We will look at the evaluation and ask the public their opinion [of the trial],” he said.
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