Busway likely to precede subway project

Tantri Yuliandini and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government's overdue subway project is in danger of being overshadowed by the attractive busway program, which will be implemented at the end of this year in the capital.

Under pressure to alleviate the city's congestion problem, but unable to finance the US$1.5 billion subway project, the city administration opted for a shortcut and approved the establishment of a busway along the city's main thoroughfares from Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota, West Jakarta.

Transportation expert from the University of Indonesia Djamester Simarmata warned that the busway had the potential to create more problems unless private car users could be persuaded to abandon their cars and use it.

"Unless the system could attract private car users to public transportation, the busway would only cause more congestion," he said.

The busway plan seems tempting because it demonstrates the city administration's commitment toward safe and convenient public transportation.

With a separate lane along the city's main streets and special buses that could carry 85 passengers at a time, the busway, according to the city administration, would serve as one of the solutions to Jakarta's chronic transportation problems.

"This is the initial step in revamping the city transportation system, as gradually we will be reordering all the routes in the capital so that it can become an integrated system," a senior employee at the city land transportation agency told The Jakarta Post.

The busway will serve the main route of the city, from Blok M in the south to Kota in the north, while smaller buses and minivans will serve routes feeding toward the nearest busway stops.

Then, after that, a new east-west busway will connect with the north-south busway at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, from where the new busway will head east to Rawamangun.

The Rp 54 billion (US$5.4 million) north-south busway project, approved early this year, will be put to tender as early as next month, and construction could start in November.

A total 93 stops for commuters will be constructed under pedestrian bridges along the busway, and a total 60 air- conditioned buses will serve the route.

The busway will take one fast lane of Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Gajah Mada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk. This lane will be used solely for the busway, and could cause massive traffic congestion during peak hours.

The official, who refused to be named, said that the city expected that massive congestion, as an immediate negative impact of the busway program, would be the factor deterring use of private cars.

"That way, people will choose to use the busway, which should promise convenience and punctuality," he said.

City land transportation agency program management division head D.A. Rini earlier acknowledged that the busway would create inconvenience for the owners of private cars.

That would be the cost of improved public transportation services.

The success of the busway, however, would hinge on law enforcement to prevent other vehicles from using the special lanes.

"The busway can work only if the government's plan is enforced properly, unlike previously when the special lane for buses was used by other vehicles," transportation expert from Trisakti University Zaini Noer said.

Because of its limitations, the busway should serve as a bridging solution to traffic problems in Jakarta. The city's ultimate aim would be to construct a subway.

Reports from the city land transportation agency state that the busway could carry only 10,000 passengers to 27,000 passengers per hour in a single direction, compared with 45,000 passengers on subway trains.

Moreover, the subway would not reduce the car lanes and cause more congestion as it would be buried about 20 meters underground.

However, the introduction of a busway project could easily overshadow the city's plan to build the subway.