Driving in Jakarta to slow to snail's pace by 2020
Driving in Jakarta to slow to snail's pace by 2020
Evi Mariani and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Sixteen years from now, driving in Jakarta will be at a running
pace of 10 kilometers per hour (kph) as revealed in a recent
study conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency
(JICA).
The study shows that the current average traveling speed of
14.75 kph will reduce further unless the Jakarta administration
takes preventive measures.
There are 2.5 million private cars and 3.8 million motorcycles
using the city's 7,500 kilometers of roads. The number keeps on
increasing with Jakartans buying at least 300 new cars and 1,200
new motorcycles every day.
The study, however, was slightly relieving because Governor
Sutiyoso had warned residents of a possible total gridlock in the
capital by 2014.
Currently, there are at least 49 spots of chronic congestion
citywide. The most congested spots are located at busy
intersections such as in Cawang, East Jakarta, and Tomang, West
Jakarta.
"The study also reveals that between 40 percent and 60 percent
of the average travel time in Jakarta is wasted at
intersections," Jakarta Police traffic division law enforcement
unit chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Naufal Yahya said on Thursday.
The consequence of the traffic woes is economic losses that
reach Rp 41.05 billion (US$4.41 million) per day.
To overcome such a problem, the City Council has urged the
administration to adopt traffic policies to restrain the rapid
growth of vehicles.
"Congestion is getting worse although the administration
builds more roads," councillor Sahrianta Tarigan of the Golkar
Party faction said. The council recommended the adoption of
policies similar to those used in Singapore and Malaysia.
Both neighboring countries have imposed restrictions on car
ownership through high import duty.
Singapore only allows its residents to own a vehicle under the
Vehicle Quota System. To reduce congestion, it also applies an
electronic road pricing system, with fees varying according to
the time and location.
"Such policies are needed because the Jakarta Transportation
Agency does not recognize the ideal number of vehicles that
should be allowed in the capital and its surrounding cities," he
said.
"Worse still, the agency keeps encouraging transportation
companies to expand their fleets, ignoring the road capacity."
Bylaw No. 12/2003 on city transportation stipulates that
traffic restraining policies include the three-in-one traffic
policy, sticker system, area licensing system, road pricing,
higher parking fees in the central business district and
progressive tax for vehicle ownership.