JP/17/LALIN

JP/17/LALIN

How messed up is Jakarta's traffic?

Damar Harsanto
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

People often assume that if traffic is congested less
accidents will occur, as the slower flow of vehicles will
restrain reckless drivers.

But, it seems that in Jakarta, where traffic jams are as
regular as they are tiresome, this rule is not applicable.

Jakarta's streets, reaching a total of 7,576 kilometers in
length, must accommodate 4.7 million vehicles, not to mention
intercity vehicles also using inner city roads.

Data from Jakarta Police Traffic Division shows that the
number of fatal traffic accidents in the capital between January
and August soared by 37 percent to 334, compared to 243 in the
corresponding period of last year.

Jakarta Police Traffic Division chief Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak
blamed motorists' negligence of traffic rules as the main cause
of the fatal accidents.

"Almost 80 percent of traffic accidents were mainly due to
violations of traffic rules," he said.

A total of 368 people were killed in traffic accidents last
year. Another 682 were seriously injured and 420 suffered minor
injuries. Material losses amounted to more than Rp 3.7 billion
(US$435,294).

Between January and August, the number of traffic accidents
reported rose by only four percent, or 806 cases compared to 777
in the same period of last year.

Sulistyo also suggested that the poor discipline of motorists
was to blame for the rising number of traffic violations.

Police data shows that the number of motorists ticketed jumped
from 16,643 in January and 16,039 in February, to 40,889 in
August and 41,732 in September.

Traffic jams may be a stressful daily experience for motorists
and such conditions trigger exhaustion and careless driving.

An urban planning expert from Trisakti University, Yayat
Supriyatna called Jakarta a "stressful metropolis" given that the
city is overcrowded, and there are a myriad of social, political,
and economic problems, including traffic congestion.

"The relation between traffic congestion and (traffic)
accidents is evident," said transportation expert Darmaningtyas.

Simplistic maybe, but experts believe the main cause of
traffic congestion is the massive number of vehicles on the
streets.

A policewoman, directing traffic at Grogol intersection, West
Jakarta, grumbled that street vendors and pedestrians, who ignore
traffic rules and signs, also contributed to the traffic woes.

"In many cases, traffic signs are simply ignored," she said,
referring to the severe congestion at Grogol intersection in West
Jakarta and an intersection near Christian University of
Indonesia (UKI) in Cawang, East Jakarta.

"On the roadside close to Citibank Landmark building in
Setiabudi, South Jakarta, and near Senen market in Central
Jakarta, street vendors even occupy two of three road lanes," she
said.

Beside people's poor discipline, the traffic is worsened by
poor traffic infrastructures. At least 1,756 traffic signs
reportedly went missing or were damaged in 2000. Throughout
Jakarta has a total of 56,600 traffic signs.

There are two solutions proposed by transportation experts.

First, the city should integrate its transportation system so
that public transportation can provide reliable services in terms
of on-time arrival and departure, comfort, as well as safety.

Second, it should discourage the use of motorized vehicles by,
among other measures, imposing higher car taxes, higher parking
fees, or strict regulations on road worthiness.

The city administration has been trying to adopt the first
proposal by introducing the controversial busway and monorail
projects. Although, these plans have failed to convince the
public that they are surefire solutions.

"Problems are yet to be addressed, including how the feeder
transportation system (to support the busway and monorail) will
be managed," said Jack Sumabrata, a transportation expert of the
University of Indonesia.

In addition, the administration has failed to discourage
people from driving cars, rather than using public
transportation.

The construction of overpasses and underpasses is simply
encouraging people to purchase more cars and further burdens the
city streets.

In addition, an influx of cheaper cars on the market, coupled
with widespread access to loans and an aggressive banking system,
offering doorprizes etc. also attracts more people to buy cars.

Under such conditions, the average annual eight percent growth
of car ownership will continue to soar in the future.

With more cars inundating the city roads, then, the vicious
circle of transportation woes will become harder to break. More
cars spell severe traffic congestions; severer traffic congestion
means more stress for motorists; more stress will lead to
careless driving and careless driving will result in more traffic
accidents.

It is interesting to observe the results of the latest survey
conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as
part of the Study on the Integrated Transportation Master Plan
for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi (SITRAMP).

The survey finds that massive traffic jams during peak hours
have been worsening, and the economic loss caused by the
congestion now amounts to Rp 5.5 trillion annually.

The survey also says that cumulative economic losses up to
2020 are estimated to reach Rp 70.3 trillion, or almost 12 times
higher than today's economic losses, if no significant efforts
are made to resolve the chronic transportation problems.

If the condition of the roads deteriorates with the projected
economic losses, by 2020 driving in Jakarta will be more than 12
times worse than it is today. Most Jakartans would rather not
imagine this situation.