'Discipline would help improve traffic'

'Discipline would help improve traffic'

While many people complain about being packed in like sardines
aboard decrepit public transportation vehicles, and face the
prospect of even higher fares, executives who drive their
comfortable private vehicles also complain about traffic
congestion during peak hours. They share their ideas about
traffic management in the city with The Jakarta Post.

Muljadi Suriawan, President Director of PT Neonlite, an
advertising agency.

Transport management in the city is very bad. How are
motorists supposed to put up with endless queues during peak
hours on the toll roads, which are supposed to be free of jams?
This is just an example.

It's the same all over the city. The queues are getting worse
each day.

I realize that it is difficult for the city administration and
the government to build new roads but I think they could still
widen the existing roads.

There's a road in the Tanah Abang area that is a good example
of a road that must be widened as it can no longer accommodate
the cars heading from Casablanca, South Jakarta, to Jatibaru,
Central Jakarta.

If the road were widened, it would solve the terrible traffic
jams in the area, particularly during peak hours.

The three-in-one system (along Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. M.H.
Thamrin) also only displaces the congestion from these two main
streets to other roads. It's not effective anyway as many drivers
prefer to hire people to meet the requirement of having three
passengers.

Nuke Mayasaphira, President Director of PT Nindotama Kharisma.

I just hope that the administration will find the best
transportation management system to overcome the existing
problems.

But before deciding on the system, the administration must
count the population of Jakarta and separate roads users based on
economic class, namely low, middle and upper income families.

The data will show what means of transportation will be needed
by the people in each of those groups.

Gunadi Soekemi, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Outdoor
Media Association.

Traffic jams during peak hours are evident every single day on
many roads in the city. The congestion is caused by the limited
number of roads compared to the continuously increasing number of
vehicles.

That's why transportation in Jakarta is very difficult to
improve.

Lack of discipline on the part of drivers, passengers and
pedestrians is another factor contributing to the problem.

Although it's difficult to handle the problem, I would urge
the administration to begin now.

I would also call on the administration to consider the use of
a mass transit system (MRT) which could be used by those
Jakartans who now drive their own cars to work.

Hendra Prastowo, Director of Jaya Adhimedia.

I have no idea what's wrong with the transportation system
here. I only know that one of the main factors is the motorists'
lack of discipline. Many drivers, especially public
transportation drivers, often ignore the traffic signs.

I think law enforcement must be firmly upheld to improve
discipline. Only with discipline can we improve the traffic
situation in the city. -- JP