Busway likely to precede subway project

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.