27.5.03

'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.
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19.5.03

Public campaign for busway needed

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although busway systems have been developed successfully in many cities of the world, the city administration has been advised not to apply it without securing public support and making comprehensive preparations.

Preparations include social aspects, such as a public campaign to make sure people have adequate understanding of the new policy, and technical aspects like developing bus shelters, special lanes, traffic lights, traffic signs, and preparing feeder routes.

"The system was able to be developed successfully in many cities, because it was prepared very well. But I haven't seen the same preparations here," said Azas Tigor Nainggolan, chairman of Jakarta Residents's Forum (Fakta) last Saturday.

Tigor was among members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who visited Bogota in Colombia -- a city which has successfully developed the bus rapid transit or BRT -- to take part in a short course on transportation.

A similar comment came from another noted urban observer Marco Kusumawijaya, who said that without public support any development program introduced by the city administration, would end in failure.

Marco also stressed the need for the city administration to make sure that related officials have an in depth understanding of the BRT concept so that they can give a comprehensive explanation to the public.

"So far I've never heard a comprehensive concept conveyed about the busway. What I have heard are only incomplete explanations," he added. "If their explanations are seemingly only concerned with restraints, like the three-in-one and license plate-based restriction policies, people will be disappointed."

A number of world's cities which have developed busway systems, include Bogota (Columbia), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Nagoya (Japan), Taipei (Taiwan), Leeds (UK), Chicago and Honolulu (U.S.), Ottawa and Vancouver (Canada), Adelaide and Brisbane (Australia).

Sharing Marco's views, Tigor also stressed the need of public approval for the city administration program which would affect a large number of people in the city.

Tigor said if the project was implemented, it would drastically change the habits and lifestyle of Jakartans.

"Just imagine, people who usually stop a bus anywhere they like will be forced to go to bus shelters. And the people who usually go to work in their own car will have to travel on public buses," he added.

Therefore, a public campaign is very important to make the people understand the project. To find out what the public wants, he added, the city administration needs to hold a poll. If most people say yes, the project could be continued.

But Governor Sutiyoso said previously that polling was not necessary as he asserted that the majority of Jakarta people accepted the busway project.

"I believe the majority of Jakarta people will accept the project as it is designed for them, if there are people who oppose the project, it must be those who use private cars," Sutiyoso said.

Marco, however, expressed skepticism that Jakartans would support the city administration's plan to develop the BRT project which is expected to be launched later this year.

First, he said he was not sure that the city administration had a comprehensive plan to tackle transportation problems in the city. Second, many development projects in the city have ended in failure due to lack of preparation.

And third, the credibility of the city administration is very low due to rampant corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), with the result that many projects are not implemented professionally.

Originally, the city administration planned to launch the BRT project, known as Trans Jakarta, late last year. But it was delayed as Governor Sutiyoso realized that it needed further preparation.

Sutiyoso stressed that Trans Jakarta will be launched later this year, but many observers have expressed pessimism as his administration has to date not outlined a clear and thorough concept of the busway system.
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9.5.03

'Busway to start in December'

Governor Sutiyoso said on Thursday that the busway program would be implemented in December.

He made the statement to reporters a day after his arrival here from a foreign visit to examine the busway systems in several major cities of South American countries, including Columbia and Mexico.

He said that he had ordered Irzal Djamal, the busway team leader, to study the busway systems in the countries and see which system would be appropriate for Jakarta.

The city administration plans to establish a 12.9-kilometer busway route between Blok M in South Jakarta and Kota in West Jakarta, utilizing 140 buses, of which 80 units will be provided by a consortium of private bus companies, a report from the administration said.

The report said that feeder services and ticketing will be operated by private companies, which will be selected later through a tender.

The feeder service will provide public transportation to take passengers from all areas of Jakarta to sections of the route, which will include Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Gajah Mada and Hayam Wuruk.

Along with the system, the city administration also plans to extend the three-in-one traffic policy throughout the whole day until afternoon.

The policy, which requires motorists to bring at least two passengers inside their cars, is expected to encourage people to leave their cars at home and use the public transportation.--JP more

10.4.03

Jakarta busway project infeasible

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The busway project from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in Central Jakarta is financially infeasible as it only serves 12.9 kilometers of road, a transportation expert says.

Lloyd Wright of the Bogota-based Institute for Transportation and Development Policy said the first stage of a similar project in Bogota, whose territory smaller than Jakarta, covered 40 kilometers of roads.

"Jakarta is larger than Bogota, therefore its first busway project should cover more road," Wright told councillors and city administration officials on Wednesday.

Wright did not elaborate on the calculation of the project costs, but stressed the need for the city administration to extend the road covered by the bus rapid transit project before launching it.

He recommended the development of another busway running east to west. He also stressed the need to develop feeder services.

"Without adequate feeder services, passengers may not move from the old bus routes."

Wright also stressed the need to fully integrate the project with other transportation systems in order to resolve transportation problems in the city.

The Jakarta city administration has begun developing the bus rapid transit, known as the busway project since last year as part of the effort to resolve the city transportation problem.

But the project has sparked criticism from transportation experts who believe it will fail. Some even say it will worsen traffic congestion in several areas.

The project was expected to be launched late last year but was delayed due to poor planning. Trials without passengers have been underway since early this year.

The city administration allocated Rp 50.8 billion for the project last year but costs have blown out to Rp 90.25 billion.

To save public funds, Wright advised the administration to only use state funds to finance infrastructure and private money to buy buses.

Wright said there were international financial institutions who could be invited to help finance the project, but the city administration should ensure that the project was the best design.

He also stressed the need for a strong vision from senior city officials to create a good transportation system.

City administration spokesman Muhayat said Governor Sutiyoso would visit a number of cities in Latin America this month to hold a comparative study on the bus systems. The cities would include Bogota, Curittiba in Brazil, and Mexico City in Mexico.

He would leave the city on April 26 and returned on May 2.
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3.3.03

Busway begins trial period

Preparations mount as busway begins trial period
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration finally started the trial period of its long-awaited busway project, temporarily called TransJakarta, last Friday as two trial buses made the first public appearance of an expected fleet of 60 buses to ply the route linking Blok M in South Jakarta and Kota in West Jakarta.

But many questions remain as to whether the new public transportation system will be a success or will end up as another ill-fated white elephant.

Early signs of possible failure emerged as the City Transportation Agency was forced to postpone the busway trial period several times since last October.

Experts and activists say the repeated delays are signs that the agency does not have a solid concept but officials say that it was simply because they were trying to accommodate all inputs.

"We were made aware that there were so many loopholes in the initial design so we postponed the launch of the trial period," head of the agency's traffic engineering division, Udar Pristono, told reporters on the sidelines of the trial period launch at City Hall.

"This project is aimed at providing a reliable and convenient mode of transportation for residents from the middle and lower income groups so we must prepare it well."

Ordinary buses need some 120 minutes on the 12.9-kilometer Blok M-Kota route for a round trip while the busway will only need some 90 minutes as it would run along a dedicated lane.

"Not only will passengers enjoy faster travel, they will also find it more comfortable and convenient as the buses are air-conditioned and have a reliable headway of between one and a half minutes to five minutes.

"Such a short headway means that passengers will not have to wait too long if they miss the bus while at the same time increasing the busway capacity."

The fare is set at Rp 2,500 (28 U.S. cents) while current bus fares range from Rp 900 to Rp 3,500 depending on the bus type.

Pristono said that demand on the Blok M-Kota route was about 12,600 passengers per hour in one direction.

Currently the agency is testing two different buses to see which one is better suited for the project, the Japanese Hino and German Mercedes Benz.

The Hino bus has 31 seats and the Mercedes Benz has 30 seats. Both have a capacity of 55 standing passengers each.

The buses have doors on both sides to accommodate various situations along the route. It is planned that the shelters will be in the right-hand side of the bus from Blok M until Harmoni in West Jakarta. Entering Jl. Gajah Mada in West Jakarta, the buses will use the left-hand side doors.

There will be 21 stops along the route served by 39 shelters as there are several combined shelters to serve both directions.

Busway rapid transit (BRT) is a common, widely-applied system in Latin American cities such as Bogota, the capital city of Colombia; Curitiba, a city of Brazil; and Quito, the capital city of Equador.

Governor Sutiyoso is slated to visit Bogota to observe the TransMilenio busway system, which was started on Dec. 18, 2000, some time in March.

Agency officials had visited Bogota to learn the system and implement any possible principles here.

TransMilenio's official website www.transmilenio.gov.co reveals that the first phase includes three routes totaling some 41 kilometers constructed between 1998 and 2001.

There are three five-year stages until 2016 when the system is expected to reach all districts of Bogota encompassing 387.9 kilometers.

Pristono told The Jakarta Post that TransJakarta would have a total of 12 routes when it is fully operational.

"The second route will serve the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta and Rawamangun in East Jakarta. We will study this route once the Blok M-Kota is running well," he said.

In contrast to TransMilenio's clear time frame, Pristono said he could not give a clear time frame for the project or how many kilometers of road were involved.

Further homework for city officials will be how to teach the residents to use this new system as people have to be taught to queue and buy tickets before entering the shelters.
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`Busway not the solution to city traffic problem'

The Jakarta Post - After the postponement of its launch last October due to strong public criticism, the busway system started its trial run last Friday on the designated route from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in West Jakarta. However, the public said that the operation of at least 60 buses under the system, which is planned to begin later this year, would likely worsen the traffic. The Jakarta Post spoke with several city residents about their perceptions.

Jubaeri, 53, works as a conductor with a state-owned bus company in South Jakarta. He resides in Rangkasbitung, Banten, with his wife and five children:

I'm sure that the busway system is not the solution to the traffic problem in Jakarta. The size of the thoroughfares remain the same, while the number of vehicles, including public buses, continue to increase. So in what way would the busway alleviate traffic? It would make it even worse, I'm sure.

I have been making a living riding along the streets for 24 years, so I know the exact conditions of the roads. I think the high-ranking city officials are not smart enough to know the real condition.

I guess the busway is just an expensive project, prone to embezzlement and mark-ups.

If the city administration is serious about the traffic problems in Jakarta, it should not easily allow any imported buses into the city. We can see that many imported buses, including used ones, are already operating throughout the city.

In addition, the government should also issue a regulation stipulating that all vehicles of more than five years old to be transferred to other provinces, which are in dire need of public transportation. It will also boost equal development nationwide.

This means that old and worn-out public transportation would be removed from the city. I wonder why decrepit, 30-year-old buses are still allowed to operate on Jakarta streets?

The city administration should be strict in this respect. Start by banning the three-in-one traffic rule, which requires private cars to carry at least three passengers along Sudirman and Thamrin, as it failed to deal with the traffic congestion. Otherwise, the traffic problems will only get worse.

Ryan, 27, is a tattoo artist who works in Blok M, South Jakarta. He resides in Petukangan, South Jakarta, with his wife and three adopted children:

The busway system introduced by the city administration does not make any sense at all. I wonder why the government thinks that the busway could eliminate the traffic jams?

How could the city government intend to add more public buses? The additional buses will only make the traffic worse. Rather than wasting their time addressing the busway, why don't they try to shift the old public mini-buses to other regions in the country?

I think that many people in many regions outside Jakarta badly need public transportation. In my hometown in Yogyakarta, I have to wait for hours for public buses just for a short trip.

The government should also think over the other provinces' development, in which the lack of public transportation is a daily problem. Jakarta is not the only place that should be developed.

It would be better that the city administration improve the management of the existing public transportation in the city. The lack of discipline has severely crippled the traffic in general, I think.

Should the busway system become a reality, I assume that the number of criminals will also increase. Criminals might target busway passengers, who would very likely be from the middle- and high-income brackets.

Anyway, I'm pessimistic, as even educated people could do nothing to block the government's decision. How can I, as a poor person, change it?

Tono, 30, formerly a conductor on an intercity bus, has been unemployed for some time, and is still looking for a job. He resides in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta:

I think Jakarta has a very complex traffic problem. Worse, it's almost impossible for the busway system to be implemented to overcome the problem, let alone to provide a solution to alleviate the congestion. It's impossible and a waste of the city budget.

Now, we can see that private cars and public transportation already fill up the designed route every day. With the busway system, it will be worse.

If the busway system is enforced, this means that the existing public transportation on those same routes must be reduced, which will, in turn, spark new social unrest and threaten security in the city.

Besides, I don't think that the well-off people in the city will be willing to not use their own private cars. They don't want to believe that they contribute to the traffic congestion by driving in their own cars, anyway.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.
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24.2.03

Kota yang Humanis

Bogota, Tranformasi Menuju Kota yang Humanis

PENGANTAR REDAKSI

Wartawan Kompas, Agus Hermawan, 6-11 Februari 2003 mengikuti seminar internasional Human Mobility di Bogota, Kolombia. "Pelangi", sebuah lembaga penelitian di bidang pembangunan berkelanjutan di Jakarta yang bekerja sama dengan Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP, New York) juga mengajaknya mempelajari penerapan sistem bus rapid transit (BRT) TransMilenio di Bogota. Laporannya di halaman ini, 34, dan 35, diharapkan menjadi semacam pelajaran bagi Jakarta yang juga dikabarkan akan menerapkan sistem busway untuk meningkatkan pelayanan angkutan umumnya.

***

ORANG-orang bersepeda di jalur yang nyaman. Sebagian lagi berjoging atau berjalan kaki di Pedestrian, di antara taman-taman yang tertata apik. Sementara di jalanan, mereka yang memilih angkutan bus umum bisa melaju dalam kenyamanan. Jalanan lebar, dengan jembatan penyeberangan yang didesain menarik, meliuk-liuk di tengah keramaian jalanan. Pedestrian, jalur sepeda nyaman dan luas memanjakan warga kota untuk bisa menikmati kotanya.

TAMAN-taman rimbun dan menghijau diperindah dengan sejumlah pasangan memadu kasih atau para pelajar tenggelam dalam bacaannya. Rumah-rumah susun dan apartemen tersebar di sejumlah kawasan yang terhubung dengan jalur transportasi.

Gambaran yang biasa tergambar dalam iklan-iklan perumahan atau kota baru di media massa Indonesia itu seperti terwujud nyata saat memasuki Bogota, sesaat menjejakkan kaki di Bandara El Dorado, Selasa (4/2) lalu.

"Jika kita bicara soal kota, kita harus bicara bagaimana seharusnya kita tinggal dan bermukim," kata Enrique Penalosa, Wali Kota Bogota (1998-2000) suatu saat. Wali Kota yang tadinya seorang akademisi bidang ekonomi, sejarah, dan administrasi publik itu akan dikenang sebagai wali kota yang berjuang keras menegakkan sebuah kota ideal. Kota yang tadinya brutal dan kacau menjadi cantik dan menyenangkan, memberantas kemiskinan dan korupsi.

"Warga dulu tidak menghargai kotanya dan mereka merasa kotanya akan semakin buruk," kenang Penalosa. Bogota sebelum era Penalosa dikenal sebagai kota dengan tingkat kriminal tinggi, pengeboman oleh para militer, penculikan, hingga peredaran narkotika.

Namun kini, penduduk Bogota sepertinya menikmati menjadi warga sebuah kota yang memenuhi kebutuhannya. Sistem angkutan umumnya, yang dikenal dengan bus rapid transit (BRT) TransMilenio praktis sudah berjalan dengan mulus dan menjadi kebanggaan mereka.

Kebanggaan warga dan pemerintah kota terhadap TransMilenio-yang sebenarnya pembangunannya baru tahap pertama-itu mengingatkan orang akan kebanggaan warga Singapura terhadap MRT (mass rapid transit) mereka. "Sistem angkutan massal kami saat ini yang terbaik di Amerika Latin, bahkan mungkin di dunia," begitu biasa para pejabat Bogota membanggakan TransMilenio.

Dengan kepemimpinan yang konsisten dan dihargai rakyatnya, Penalosa "merekonstruksi" kotanya dengan 1.200 taman, menanam 100.000 pohon, merehabilitasi sekolah, dan permukiman-permukiman serta memperbaiki lingkungan. Dia memang benar-benar memfokuskan kebijakannya pada bagaimana mendidik warga kota serta memperluas ruang publik.

"Orang-orang kaya bisa menghabiskan waktunya di countryside, pergi ke klub, atau makan di restoran. Tetapi untuk rakyat susah, mereka menghabiskan waktu senggangnya di ruang publik. Untuk alasan itulah, tingkat hidup dan ruang terbuka maupun Pedestrian diperlukan agar demokrasi benar-benar berjalan," kata Penalosa seperti dikutip sebuah media.

Namun, semua itu tidak diperoleh dengan instan dan gampangan, sebagaimana tiba-tiba saja Taman Monas dipagar atau satu lajur jalan di Jalan Sudirman-Thamrin tiba-tiba saja dicat untuk busway. Katanya, pemerintah kota bersama-sama warganya memerlukan waktu lima belas tahun lebih dengan kebijakan pembangunan kota yang konsisten.

Mereka berhasil menjadikan sebuah kota yang tadinya sangat kacau balau, menjadi sebuah kota yang layak dijadikan model bagi kota-kota lainnya di dunia. Bogota dengan penduduk 6,4 jutaan orang itu berhasil menata dirinya dengan jalur bersepeda terluas di Amerika Latin (sepanjang 270 kilometer, dari 300 kilometer yang direncanakan), Pedestrian, angkutan umum massal dengan BRT TransMilenio serta hari bebas kendaraan (car free day) yang meliputi area luas 35.000 hektar, yang terluas di dunia.

Sejak tahun 1995 sampai tahun 2000, pemerintah kota di bawah kepemimpinan Wali Kota Antonus Mockus Sivickas dan dilanjutkan penerusnya Enrique Penalosa, dan kemudian Mockus lagi, mereka benar-benar mengadakan perubahan di bidang tata ruang kota, sosial maupun ekonomi kota.

Mockus seorang akademisi matematik dan filsafat yang sama sekali tidak memiliki pengalaman politik ternyata mengelola kotanya dengan baik. Wali Kota yang dipilih oleh 64 persen dari sekitar 7 juta penduduk Bogota itu benar-benar menjalankan kampanyenya.

Dengan dana hanya 8.000 dollar AS-termurah yang pernah terjadi di Kolombia-ia sangat terkenal dengan kampanye "No P" yang meliputi: no publicity, no politics, no parti atau plata (alias duit). Kalau mikir ke Kota Jakarta memang akan sulit rasanya, mengingat kampanye seorang gubernur saja justru kebalikan dari slogan Mockus.

Pemerintahan Mockus selama dua tahun (1995-1997) memfokuskan pada perencanaan kotanya secara jelas dengan program Formar Ciudad atau "Mendidik Kota" dengan penekanan para kultur warga kota, ruang publik, lingkungan, sosial, produktivitas urban hingga legitimasi institusional.

Mockus mendefinisikan kultur warga kota sebagai "sejumlah kebiasaan, perilaku, dan tindakan serta peraturan perundangan agar warga kota merasa memiliki, harmoni di antara sesama warga, dan menghargai properti dan peninggalan kota". Fokus membentuk kultur baru warga kota semacam itu menjadi tujuan utama pemerintahan Mockus. Dia melakukannya dengan sejumlah program pendidikan bagi warganya.

Tantangan dari warga Bogota bagi Mockus maupun Penalosa bukannya tidak ada. Itu terbukti dengan digantikannya dia oleh Penalosa (1998-2000), sebelum dia kembali memimpin Bogota hingga kini. Bahkan Penalosa, sempat dituding "komunis" oleh sejumlah kalangan usahawan atau orang kaya karena dianggap memaksa warga menggunakan bus dan angkutan umum.

Demikianlah, seperti disampaikan Ricardo Montezuma, Direktur Fundacion Ciudad Humana (Yayasan Kota Humanis, sebuah lembaga nonprofit di Bogota), kebijakan-kebijakan Penalosa maupun Mockus yang dilaksanakan secara konsisten tersebut menyebabkan Bogota berubah secara ruang (tata) kota, sosial, ekonomi maupun politik kota yang tadinya semrawut (chaostic) berubah wajah menjadi sebuah kota yang kini bisa dianggap sebagai kota ideal dari segi ketatakotaan dengan tingkat kriminalitas yang rendah.

Pada akhir kepemimpinan Penalosa misalnya, tingkat kejahatan anjlok hingga 50 persennya dan pembunuhan di kota yang oleh media barat dulu dikenal sangat berbahaya itu pun turun hingga 20 persen.

KEBERHASILAN Bogota seperti saat ini juga terjadi karena beruntung Penalosa yang menggantikan Mockus, jauh dari kebiasaan "ganti pejabat, ganti aturan". Penalosa, yang lagi-lagi bukan seorang politisi, melainkan seorang akademisi yang mendalami ekonomi, sejarah, dan administrasi publik, meneruskan program yang telah digariskan Mockus.

Jika Mockus memfokuskan diri bagaimana mendidik warga kota merasa memiliki kotanya dan bersama-sama mengelola kotanya, maka Penalosa melanjutkannya dengan implementasi dari kebijakan-kebijakan rencana pengembangan Kota Bogota.

Kepopuleran Mockus sebagai wali kota yang dipilih rakyat terlihat, Rabu, saat di Bogota mengadakan hari bebas kendaraan (free car day), di sebuah taman kampus Bogota. Warga kota dan mahasiswa mengelu-elukannya, dengan lambaian tangan sebagaimana seorang pemimpin yang lahir karena mereka pilih.

Mockus, juga bergabung dengan warga biasa, menyapa, dan berlaku sebagaimana warga kota lainnya, termasuk bersepeda, jauh dari kesan dibuat-buat atau protokoler sebagaimana yang sering kita lihat pada kebiasaan pejabat-pejabat di negeri ini di zaman Orde Baru, yang kini diteruskan para pejabat Orde Reformasi .

"Keterlibatan warga kota, sebagai sukarelawan mendukung semua program Kota Bogota," kata Mockus. Mungkin karena itulah pembangunan Kota Bogota untuk menjadi sebuah kota yang humanis, bisa berlangsung baik karena warga kota dan pengelola kota sama-sama merasa memiliki kotanya.

Sulit dibantah, Penalosa maupun Mockus memang berhasil menjadikan sebuah kota yang tadinya amburadul, dengan perlalulintasan yang amburadul dan acakadut secara perlahan mulai berubah wajah. Apalagi Bogota yang sepanjang tahun sejuk itu memiliki taman-taman yang luas dan terpelihara baik.

Mereka bertekad menjadikan Bogota sebagai sebuah kota yang humanis. Kota yang benar-benar dibangun untuk dinikmati dan ditinggali warganya dengan nyaman. Mockus berani menata berbagai kawasan kota yang tadinya sumpek dan semrawut dan bisa diterima warganya karena dia memang benar-benar menawarkan sebuah kawasan baru yang bisa dinikmati, tanpa merugikan warga.

Bahkan, rencana awal mau bagaimana kawasan baru itu selanjutnya kelak ditawarkan ke warga. Dan yang terpenting, tidak ada rencana bohongan atau hanya di atas kertas atau dibilang seolah-olah kawasan tertentu akan dibangun untuk kepentingan umum namun dalam kenyataannya untuk kawasan bisnis (!).

Bahkan, dalam rencana induk yang dibuat oleh Penalosa, akses jalan lebih diutamakan untuk pejalan kaki, pemakai sepeda, maupun infrastruktur yang lebih mengutamakan angkutan umum.

Sebaliknya, penggunaan angkutan pribadi lebih dipersulit dengan sejumlah ketentuan. Dengan kebijakan pico y placa (jam sibuk dan pelat nomor) mereka bermaksud mengurangi penggunaan kendaraan pribadi hingga 40 persen pada saat jam sibuk. Mereka juga memberlakukan pembatasan penggunaan kendaraan pribadi dengan kebijakan nomor pelat mobil.

Selama dua hari dalam sepekan kendaraan pribadi dilarang beroperasi. Mereka mengaturnya dengan cara kendaraan berpelat nomor berakhiran 1 hingga 4 dilarang untuk digunakan pada hari Senin, 5 hingga 8 pada hari Selasa; 9,0, 1 dan 2 pada hari Rabu; 3,4,5 dan 6 pada hari Kamis, serta 7,8,9 dan 0 pada hari Jumat.

Pelaksanaan car free day-yang juga disebut-sebut sebagai yang terbesar di dunia-dimaksudkan pemerintah kota agar warganya bisa membayangkan bahwa kota tanpa kendaraan pribadi bukanlah hal yang mustahil. Dalam voting yang diselenggarakan pemerintah kota, warga kota menginginkan acara tersebut bisa berlangsung setiap tahun.

Dalam acara serupa pada Rabu, 5 Februari lalu, kesan itu memang sangat terasa. Walaupun kendaraan yang boleh beroperasi hanya kendaraan umum dan jalanan bersih dari mobil-mobil pribadi warga kota sama sekali tidak tampak terpengaruh dan kegiatan keseharian berlangsung seperti biasa.

Apalagi, selain kebiasaan berjalan kaki (hampir 30 persen warga Bogota berjalan kaki untuk melaksanakan aktivitas kesehariannya, termasuk pulang pergi sekolah atau bekerja), kebiasaan menggunakan sepeda juga semakin membaik. Jika pada tahun 1998, pengguna sepeda hanya 1 persen saja dari seluruh pengguna moda angkutan di Bogota, maka pada tahun 2002 meningkat hingga 4 persen.

Membaiknya struktur kota dengan manajemen perlalulintasan yang konsisten yang dijalankan, juga bisa menurunkan angka kejahatan atau kriminalitas, angka kecelakaan di jalan raya dan, tentu saja, polusi udara. Angka kecelakaan di jalanan misalnya, yang pada tahun 1995 tercatat 1.387 kasus, terus menurun hingga 745 kasus (tahun 2001), dan pada tahun 2002 hanya 697 kasus.

Upaya menjadikan kota sebagai milik bersama itu karena pemerintah kota benar-benar menjalankan program untuk memacu masyarakatnya berpartisipasi atau terlibat langsung dalam pengelolaan kotanya. Untuk setiap pelaksanaan sistem bus baru, hari tanpa sepeda mereka membentuk suatu organisasi berbasis masyarakat, seperti Ciclovia Volunteers (untuk para sukarelawan program pemasyarakatan pemakaian sepeda) hingga Misson Bogota. Merekalah yang bergerak dan mendorong masyarakat lainnya untuk berpartisipasi dan mendukung setiap program pemerintah kota.

Para sukarelawan berseragam oranye-mirip dengan kader GDN (gerakan disiplin nasional) yang dulu juga marak di Jakarta dan kini enggak jelas nasibnya-memberikan panduan kepada warga kota lainnya bagaimana menggunakan TransMilenio, menggunakan Pedestrian, dan mengarahkan para pengguna sepeda agar menggunakan jalurnya. Setidaknya oleh pemerintah kota mereka dibekali dengan prinsip-prinsip bagaimana menciptakan keamanan dan harmoni kotanya, pengelolaan wilayah, ruang publik hingga memberikan berbagai informasi mengenai kotanya kepada warga lain.

WARGA kota ikut mengelola kota. Setidaknya hal tersebut menjadi pelajaran bagi pengelola kota lain, terutama Jakarta, yang sering meninggalkan warganya sehingga mereka menjadi terasing di kotanya sendiri. Pelibatan warga untuk berpartisipasi aktif memiliki dan mengelola kotanya memang dilakukan secara serius oleh Pemerintah Kota Bogota.

Secara telaten terintegrasi dengan sistem yang baik, mereka benar-benar melibatkan dan mendidik warganya secara serius untuk menjadikan kotanya lebih baik. Jauh sebelum mereka mengenalkan sistem BRT TransMilenio misalnya, upaya mendidik dan mengajak aktif partisipasi warga dilakukan dengan berbagai upaya.

"Kami sengaja mendatangkan 21 unit jenis bus yang dipergunakan di berbagai negara, dari Hungaria hingga Brasil. Semua itu untuk mendidik warga bahwa rencana menciptakan angkutan massal itu bukan hanya impian tetapi nyata," kata Dario Hidalgo, seorang manajer TransMilenio.

Bahkan, jauh sebelum sistem bus tersebut benar-benar dilaksanakan, mereka mengajak warganya untuk melek bagaimana mulai mengubah "kultur" naik bus secara modern, mulai dari bagaimana antre hingga membeli tiket yang benar.

Sejumlah sukarelawan diterjunkan hingga ke sekolah-sekolah taman kanak-kanak. Dengan alat peraga sederhana, mereka mengajarkan cara-cara baru kepada anak-anak tersebut bagaimana mulai menjalani hidup baru sebagai bagian dari warga kota modern.

Upaya mereka mengajar kepada anak-anak balita itu bukannya tanpa maksud. "Sepulang sekolah anak-anak itu akan bercerita kepada orangtuanya apa yang kami ajarkan kepada mereka. Mereka juga menjadi penyambung apa yang kami ajarkan kepadanya. Bukankah itu juga secara otomatis mendidik orangtuanya juga," kata Hidalgo.

Terbukti ketika TransMilenio digelindingkan, sistem BRT bisa berjalan dengan baik. Upaya pemerintah menyiapkan infrastruktur dibarengi dengan kesiapan warga kotanya menjalani "kehidupan baru" mewujudkan kultur baru pula bagi kehidupan warga Kota Bogota.

Setidaknya, sebagai warga Jakarta yang demikian amburadul ini, kita cuma berharap semoga para pengelola Jakarta bisa belajar dari Bogota. Mungkin, salah satu pelajaran terbaik yang bisa dipetik dari pengalaman Bogota adalah bagaimana pemerintah mengajak warga kotanya untuk mengubah kotanya.

Soal ruang publik misalnya, Wali Kota Penalosa pernah menyatakan, "Ruang publik sangat perlu untuk hidup, melakukan bisnis, memadu kasih, dan bermain. Semua itu tidak bisa hanya dihitung secara ekonomis maupun matematik tetapi harus dengan perasaan dan nurani".

Infrastruktur kota yang baik sekalipun tidak akan cukup menjadikan sebuah kota menjadi nyaman, tanpa warga kotanya merasa terlibat dan menikmati semua itu....(Agus Hermawan)
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