Jakarta – Jakarta and Bogor topped a list issued by the Transportation Ministry of Indonesian cities with the worst traffic conditions, according to media.
"Traffic in those cities need attention," Yugi Hartiman, head of research and development at the ministry, was quoted as saying by news portal Detik.com.
Jakarta was first on the list, with vehicles said to be traveling at an average speed of 10 kilometers per hour and the volume-to-capacity ratio (VC ratio) standing at 0.85 percent. A VC ratio of higher than 0.70 percent indicates busy traffic, as it means roads are accommodating more vehicles than its capacity.
"The slow speed results from the fact that the capacity of the road could not accommodate the volume of traffic," Yugi told Detik.com.
The ministry said Jakarta's plan to implement an automated toll-paying system, known as the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), at some its main roads could be effective in addressing congestion in the capital but emphasized that efforts to limit the number of private vehicles in the city should be done parallel with the improvement of public transportation.
In Bogor, the average road speed is said to stand at 15.32 kilometers per hour, while the VC ratio stands at 0.86.
Third on the list is the city of Tangerang, Banten, where vehicles travel at an average speed of 22 kilometers per hour and the VC ratio is 0.82 percent. Ranking fourth and fifth are Bekasi and Depok, of which are both neighboring cities of the capital.
Other cities that topped the list include Surabaya, East Java; Medan, North Sumatra; Makassar, South Sulawesi; Semarang, Central Java; and Palembang, South Sumatra.