Lessons from the Tendean Footbridge Collapse for a Safer Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Some time ago, the collapse of a pedestrian bridge (JPO) in the Tendean area seized public attention. The footbridge collapsed after being struck by a truck transporting heavy equipment. Due to the driver’s miscalculation of the vehicle’s height, the facility that served as a safe daily link for pedestrians came crashing down. In a matter of seconds, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government suffered substantial losses. Head of the Data and Information Centre (Pusdatin) at the DKI Jakarta Highways Department, Siti Dinarwenny, stated that beyond the financial loss, the incident also caused social disruption, as public mobility was hampered because the footbridge could not be used and traffic flow around the area was obstructed. Consequently, following up on the incident, the DKI Jakarta Highways Department confirmed that the footbridge would not be repaired, but rather demolished immediately. The decision was based on the results of a technical assessment in the field, which found the bridge’s structure to be severely damaged, rendering it unfit for operation and potentially endangering the safety of road users and traffic flow in the area. This incident has become a reminder that a metropolitan city like Jakarta requires an infrastructure protection system capable of anticipating risks. The incident seems to have awakened the realisation that physical development must be accompanied by the strengthening of safety aspects. Infrastructure must not only be aesthetically pleasing or function well, but must also be protected from potential accidents.