'Busway project to be operational by 2010'

'Busway project to be operational by 2010'

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration revealed on Monday its transportation
system concept -- bus rapid transit (BRT) or busway and railway
-- and said it expected it to be fully operational by 2010.

The busway project, which so far only has one corridor from
Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Central Jakarta, will be
expanded to at least 15 corridors by 2010, connecting nearly all
major areas in the city. While the addition of railway tracks is
expected to be implemented by 2007.

Sutanto Soehodo, a transportation consultant hired by the city
administration, stressed that the main goal of the BRT-railway
system was to encourage people to stop using private vehicles and
instead use public transportation.

Sutanto, who is the director of the University of Indonesia's
(UI) Center for Transport Study (CTS), said the concept takes
into account the daily flow of people from Bogor, Depok,
Tangerang and Bekasi into the city center.

"Developing a transportation system without taking into
account all of Greater Jakarta would be irrational as those areas
are an integral part of the city," said Sutanto after explaining
his concept in front of Vice Governor Fauzi Bowo on Monday.

According to Sutanto, the BRT-railway system would be
supported by transfer facilities and feeder services that would
serve most areas of Jakarta and its satellite cities.

The transfer facilities will be developed at a number of
railway stations to convey train passengers to the busway.

Public buses will be used to transport passengers from almost
all directions of the city to busway routes.

"The busway-railway system will be integrated by the feeder
services and transfer facilities that will serve major parts of
the city," he added.

A diagram of the transportation concept shows that eight
busway corridors, namely Blok M-Kota; Pulo Gadung-Hotel Indonesia
traffic circle; Daan Mogot-Juanda; Pulo Gadung-Tanah Abang;
Kampung Melayu-Ancol; Kampung Melayu-Cideng; Pasar Minggu-
Manggarai; and Cileduk-Cawang, are to be developed by 2007.

While corridors to be developed from 2007 to 2010 are Kampung
Rambutan-Kampung Melayu; Warung Jati-Menteng; Tomang-Harmoni-
Pasar Baru; Cakung-Pulo Gebang-Kampung Melayu; Senayan-
Pejompongan; Lebak Bulus-Kebayoran Lama; Cakung-Pulo Gadung.

It also mentions supporting factors to the transportation
system, including traffic restriction measures, such as road
pricing, license plate-based restrictions and the three-in-one
policy that may be enforced on main roads such as Sudirman,
Thamrin and Rasuna Said.

Sutanto also stated that by 2020 more corridors would be
developed to link Jakarta to its satellite cities.

"The development is to anticipate the high growth of
commuters," said Sutanto.

Meanwhile, head of the city transportation agency Rustam
Affendi said that the concept being developed by CTS could become
the main reference of the development of a transportation system
in the city, but additional studies could be done to enhance the
concept.

Previously, assistant to the city secretary for development
affairs Irzal Djamal said that the feeder services would be of a
similar standard as the main corridors, which will be served by
air-conditioned buses.

Irzal, who is chairman of the busway project, said that the
only difference would be that there would be no special tracks
for the feeder services.

The planned feeders are: Bekasi-Senayan, Jati Bening-Senayan,
Bandara-Kota, Kelapa Gading-Kota, Cibubur-Blok M, Depok-Blok M,
Pondok Labu-Blok M, Ciputat- Blok M, Bintaro-Blok M, Cileduk-Blok
M, BSD-National Monument (Monas), Alam Sutra-Monas, Kota Modern-
Monas and Lippo Karawaci-Monas.