KBRN, Jakarta: Transportation experts have rejected the proposal to allow moge (big motorcycles) on toll roads, citing safety concerns for other road users.

Djoko Setijowarno, Deputy Chairman of Empowerment and Regional Strengthening of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) and an academic from the Civil Engineering Department at Soegijapranata Catholic University, explained that toll roads are designed explicitly for four-wheeled vehicles or larger.

"Toll roads are designed for uninterrupted travel at a minimum speed of 60-80 km/h. The presence of two-wheeled vehicles, including big motorcycles, can compromise the primary function of toll roads," said Djoko in a written statement, as quoted by rri.co.id.

He also argued that constructing dedicated lanes for large motorcycles is not financially viable.

"The number of large motorcycles in Indonesia is not significant enough to justify a large investment in dedicated lanes," Djoko wrote.

Currently, regulations, such as Article 38 of Government Regulation Number 44/2009, only permit motorcycles on toll roads with dedicated lanes, such as the Mandara Toll in Bali and the Suramadu Bridge in East Java.

To ensure safety, these lanes must be physically separated from those for four-wheeled vehicles.

Beyond safety concerns, Djoko highlighted the potential for increased accidents if large motorcycles are allowed on toll roads.

"While large motorcycles may be stable at high speeds, the differences in characteristics and speeds between two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles still increase the risk of collisions," he emphasized.

Previously, House of Representatives lawmaker Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras proposed allowing large motorcycles on toll roads during a working meeting with the Ministry of Public Works last week on January 23, 2025.

Andi Iwan argued that Indonesia was one of the few countries not allowing large motorcycles on toll roads. He believed that allowing access to toll roads could increase non-tax state revenue.

However, Djoko countered these arguments, stating that the potential risks outweigh the potential benefits. He suggested that the government should focus on improving the safety of existing roads for all road users rather than introducing new risks. ***