Jakarta needs multifunction zoning: Experts
Jakarta needs multifunction zoning: Experts
JAKARTA (JP): Multifunction zoning and a wider use of mass
transport are the key to solve Jakarta's horrendous traffic
congestion, a foreign city planner and urban expert disclosed
yesterday.
"To overcome the traffic problem, Jakarta should develop
highly diversified areas where there are offices, public
facilities and houses of the low and high communities," Peter
Droege, the chairman of urban design of the University of Sydney,
Australia, said yesterday.
Droege spoke yesterday at a one-day seminar on urban
development organized by the Agency for the Assessment and
Application of Technology.
He said Jakarta's city planning is not well structured in that
business offices and public facilities are located far away from
residential areas.
"Too many people come from too many places to the same
destination at almost the same time which has greatly contributed
to the traffic problems," he said.
A multifunction zoning system is a community structure where
people of all layers live together in an area not far from
working places and public facilities, he explained.
Droege said that nowadays more and more people have to live in
the outskirts of Jakarta as they cannot afford to buy houses in
the city proper. As a result they have to spend much time on
their way to work.
"The city has too many offices, banks, and entertainment
places for the wealthy people and barely has enough housing
complexes for the low and middle class communities," he added.
Public transport
According to him the low and middle income people are
important entities of economic development since they constitute
the major users of public transport.
"A diversified area needs all levels of society to live
together including the low-income workers," Droege said.
He said such zoning would obviously require much financial
support as well as intelligent design control to prevent
pollution and security problems.
Chief of the Department of Urban Heritage of the City
Administration Wisnu Murti Ardjo told The Jakarta Post yesterday
that local authorities are planning to apply more multifunction
zoning systems in the near future.
According to Wisnu, the authorities have so far applied the
policy of retaining diversification in one area.
Citing an example, he said, the Jl.MH Thamrin area in Central
Jakarta has met all the requirements needed for the system.
Besides hotels, offices, and business centers, there are
housing complexes located nearby, including low-cost apartments
in Kebon Kacang and Tanah Abang as well as residential areas in
Kebon Sirih and Kampung Bali.
"We have for a long time implemented the land mix use system
but that it should be more effective than today so that more and
more people can live in the area," he said.
The experts reached a common view yesterday on the efforts of
solving traffic congestion by extending the mass transit system.
State Minister of Research and Technology, B.J. Habibie, said
at the opening of the meeting that, besides freeways, an
underground transportation system would be an alternative to
solving the city's traffic problems.
"We have not used the underground dimension alternative which
is the key for the traffic problem especially in urban areas,"
Habibie said. (03)