Busway: Six months after<\/p>\n
It may seem somewhat premature to judge Jakarta's six-month-
\nold busway system's failure or success. Nevertheless, after that
\ntime span, a thorough evaluation is certainly appropriate.<\/p>\n
Many Jakartans seem unaware that the much-criticized busway
\nsystem, adopted from Bogota, Colombia, has been in operation on
\nJakarta's crowded roads since January 15, this year.<\/p>\n
Much of the criticism derives from the city administration's
\npoor preparation in providing the proper infrastructure for the
\nproject. The felling of trees along major thoroughfares was
\nanother flaw, in terms of its environmental impact.<\/p>\n
However, despite public skepticism, and the city's seemingly
\nincurable transportation headache, the administration apparently
\nperceived that the busway was the best solution.<\/p>\n
So, even as the construction of a monorail system has begun
\nand a subway project is in the works, Jakartans have no choice
\nbut to accept the busway as a permanent fixture. Under such
\ncircumstances, a question bashfully rears its head: Yes, but --
\nhas the busway actually cured that nagging headache?<\/p>\n
Admittedly, the decreasing use of private cars is one
\nindication that the busway has answered the call for a better
\nsystem of transport. Indeed, one of the main objectives of the
\nbusway was to discourage people from driving their cars to and
\nfrom work.<\/p>\n
For only Rp 2,500, residents can now travel from Blok M,
\nSouth Jakarta, to the commercial district of downtown Kota in
\nless than 30 minutes aboard an air-conditioned TransJakarta bus.
\nViewed from these aspects: low fares, comfort and a short
\ntraveling time, the busway system has so far provided one welcome
\nsolution to that baffling problem.<\/p>\n
However, the busway has not convinced people that driving
\ntheir car to work is not the best option, despite the fact that
\nTransJakarta buses transport a total of 46,000 passengers a day,
\nexceeding the target of only 20,000 passengers. Could this be
\nbecause car owners cannot find a safe place to park their
\nvehicles from nine to five? Likewise, the "three-in-one"
\nregulation has hardly encouraged people to board the bus.<\/p>\n
So, while waiting for car owners to change their habits, the
\nadministration would do well to think about providing parking
\nlots where car owners can leave their cars safely until the
\nevening, when they go home from work.<\/p>\n
Another serious factor that must be addressed is the provision
\nof adequate, safe, smooth and comfortable feeder lines from
\nresidential areas to busway corridors.<\/p>\n
It is not easy for residents living in Ciledug -- a district
\nlocated in Tangerang bordering the southern part of Jakarta -- to
\ngo to Kota by TransJakarta bus. Those residents would have to
\nspend hours traveling by bus or taxi -- or any other means of
\ntransportation available -- from Ciledug to Blok M, just to take
\nthe TransJakarta bus to Kota.<\/p>\n
Therefore, inter-provincial or inter-municipal cooperation
\nbetween the administrations of Jakarta, and those of its
\nsurrounding areas, is a must to provide an integrated and
\ninterlinked system of transportation to support the busway.<\/p>\n
Pedestrians, too, need to be given easy access to busway
\ntransit stations. Safe ramps connecting sidewalks and busway
\nstations must be made available, since even sidewalks are part of
\nthe system.<\/p>\n
All these matters should be properly addressed before the city
\nadministration goes ahead with the construction of busway
\ncorridors II and III, stretching from Kalideres in West Jakarta
\nto Monas in Central Jakarta, and from Pulogadung in East Jakarta
\nto Monas. Only then will Jakarta be able to boast of having a
\ntruly integrated system of mass transportation, capable of
\nadequately serving the capital city's population of more-than
\n-ten-million.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/busway-six-months-after-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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