'Busway project to be operational by 2010'

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration revealed on Monday its transportation system concept -- bus rapid transit (BRT) or busway and railway -- and said it expected it to be fully operational by 2010.

The busway project, which so far only has one corridor from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Central Jakarta, will be expanded to at least 15 corridors by 2010, connecting nearly all major areas in the city. While the addition of railway tracks is expected to be implemented by 2007.

Sutanto Soehodo, a transportation consultant hired by the city administration, stressed that the main goal of the BRT-railway system was to encourage people to stop using private vehicles and instead use public transportation.

Sutanto, who is the director of the University of Indonesia's (UI) Center for Transport Study (CTS), said the concept takes into account the daily flow of people from Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi into the city center.

"Developing a transportation system without taking into account all of Greater Jakarta would be irrational as those areas are an integral part of the city," said Sutanto after explaining his concept in front of Vice Governor Fauzi Bowo on Monday.

According to Sutanto, the BRT-railway system would be supported by transfer facilities and feeder services that would serve most areas of Jakarta and its satellite cities.

The transfer facilities will be developed at a number of railway stations to convey train passengers to the busway.

Public buses will be used to transport passengers from almost all directions of the city to busway routes.

"The busway-railway system will be integrated by the feeder services and transfer facilities that will serve major parts of the city," he added.

A diagram of the transportation concept shows that eight busway corridors, namely

• Blok M-Kota;
• Pulo Gadung-Hotel Indonesia traffic circle;
• Daan Mogot-Juanda;
• Pulo Gadung-Tanah Abang;
• Kampung Melayu-Ancol;
• Kampung Melayu-Cideng;
• Pasar Minggu-Manggarai;
• and Cileduk-Cawang,

are to be developed by 2007.

While corridors to be developed from 2007 to 2010 are

• Kampung Rambutan-Kampung Melayu;
• Warung Jati-Menteng;
• Tomang-Harmoni-Pasar Baru;
• Cakung-Pulo Gebang-Kampung Melayu;
• Senayan-Pejompongan;
• Lebak Bulus-Kebayoran Lama;
• Cakung-Pulo Gadung.

It also mentions supporting factors to the transportation system, including traffic restriction measures, such as road pricing, license plate-based restrictions and the three-in-one policy that may be enforced on main roads such as Sudirman, Thamrin and Rasuna Said.

Sutanto also stated that by 2020 more corridors would be developed to link Jakarta to its satellite cities.
"The development is to anticipate the high growth of commuters," said Sutanto.

Meanwhile, head of the city transportation agency Rustam Affendi said that the concept being developed by CTS could become the main reference of the development of a transportation system in the city, but additional studies could be done to enhance the concept.

Previously, assistant to the city secretary for development affairs Irzal Djamal said that the feeder services would be of a similar standard as the main corridors, which will be served by air-conditioned buses.

Irzal, who is chairman of the busway project, said that the only difference would be that there would be no special tracks for the feeder services.

The planned feeders are:

• Bekasi-Senayan,
• Jati Bening-Senayan,
• Bandara-Kota,
• Kelapa Gading-Kota,
• Cibubur-Blok M,
• Depok-Blok M,
• Pondok Labu-Blok M,
• Ciputat- Blok M,
• Bintaro-Blok M,
• Cileduk-Blok M,
• BSD-National Monument (Monas),
• Alam Sutra-Monas,
• Kota Modern-Monas
• and Lippo Karawaci-Monas.