Jakarta's busway project infeasible<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The busway project from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in
\nCentral Jakarta is financially infeasible as it only serves 12.9
\nkilometers of road, a transportation expert says.<\/p>\n
Lloyd Wright of the Bogota-based Institute for Transportation
\nand Development Policy said the first stage of a similar project
\nin Bogota, whose territory smaller than Jakarta, covered 40
\nkilometers of roads.<\/p>\n
\"Jakarta is larger than Bogota, therefore its first busway
\nproject should cover more road,\" Wright told councillors and city
\nadministration officials on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Wright did not elaborate on the calculation of the project
\ncosts, but stressed the need for the city administration to
\nextend the road covered by the bus rapid transit project before
\nlaunching it.<\/p>\n
He recommended the development of another busway running east
\nto west. He also stressed the need to develop feeder services.<\/p>\n
\"Without adequate feeder services, passengers may not move
\nfrom the old bus routes.\"<\/p>\n
Wright also stressed the need to fully integrate the project
\nwith other transportation systems in order to resolve
\ntransportation problems in the city.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta city administration has begun developing the bus
\nrapid transit, known as the busway project since last year as
\npart of the effort to resolve the city transportation problem.<\/p>\n
But the project has sparked criticism from transportation
\nexperts who believe it will fail. Some even say it will worsen
\ntraffic congestion in several areas.<\/p>\n
The project was expected to be launched late last year but was
\ndelayed due to poor planning. Trials without passengers have been
\nunderway since early this year.<\/p>\n
The city administration allocated Rp 50.8 billion for the
\nproject last year but costs have blown out to Rp 90.25 billion.<\/p>\n
To save public funds, Wright advised the administration to
\nonly use state funds to finance infrastructure and private money
\nto buy buses.<\/p>\n
Wright said there were international financial institutions
\nwho could be invited to help finance the project, but the city
\nadministration should ensure that the project was the best
\ndesign.<\/p>\n
He also stressed the need for a strong vision from senior city
\nofficials to create a good transportation system.<\/p>\n
City administration spokesman Muhayat said Governor Sutiyoso
\nwould visit a number of cities in Latin America this month to
\nhold a comparative study on the bus systems. The cities would
\ninclude Bogota, Curittiba in Brazil, and Mexico City in Mexico.<\/p>\n
He would leave the city on April 26 and returned on May 2.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakartas-busway-project-infeasible-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }