Busway planners 'rushed' into construction

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 10/03/2007 3:49 PM  |  Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Those in charge of constructing the three new busway corridors did not properly analyze how construction would affect residents, their environment or existing traffic flows, said transportation experts.

Transportation expert from the Institute of Transportation Studies, Darmaningtyas, said last week the analysis on environmental impacts of the new corridors was conducted in periods too close to the start of their construction.

""So the designs of the projects are not based on research results,"" Darmaningtyas said.

""It's no wonder the Pondok Indah residents voiced their objections.""

It was reported earlier the residents of the elite housing complex refused the construction of the busway lane on Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, connecting Lebak Bulus terminal in South Jakarta and Harmoni Busway Central in Central Jakarta.

The residents said they believed construction would destruct the ""green lanes"" in their area.

Darmaningtyas said this was the result of a poor public campaign.

He said the city administration should have performed an environmental analysis long before the project started.

""After the analysis is completed, the administration must first inform its results to the community ... and collect their input.

""It can then design the project based on these and start the construction process,"" he said.

Darmaningtyas suggested the city administration accept Pondok Indah residents' demands and complete the analysis before continuing construction of the eighth corridor.

""It must accommodate their willingness instead of using law enforcement.""

But the construction of the three corridors must go on, he said.

""It would be of no use to stop the construction.

""They're based on studies and surveys on the demands of potential users of the corridors.

""And besides, the traffic jams the projects have caused would be in vain if they're halted,"" he said.

A member of the transportation council, Trisbiantoro, said the under-construction busway corridors covered thoroughfares belonging to the city administration, so it was the administration's right to use the roads.

But he said construction of the 10 busway corridors had neglected possible impacts on traffic in the areas along the busway routes. Trisbiantoro also said environmental impacts had been neglected.

""The contractors don't care a bit about the traffic jams they're causing, and neither does the administration,"" he said.

All of the busway corridors had created crowded traffic situations, he said.

Trisbiantoro said the city's transportation agency should have conducted a study on traffic management before beginning a construction.

He said the contractors must use research results under supervision from the public works agency.

""Traffic jams can be minimized with that,"" he said, adding that eligible alternative routes were also needed during the construction period.

The Jakarta administration is currently constructing three new busway corridors, due for completion by mid-December.

The three corridors include the 19.6-kilometer-long eighth corridor that would pass through Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, South Jakarta; the 45.6 km ninth corridor, connecting Pinang Ranti in East Jakarta and Pluit in North Jakarta; and the 37.8 km 10th corridor, connecting Cililitan in East Jakarta and Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta.

Residents living in an elite housing complex in Pluit have also objected to the planned busway corridor in their neighborhood, because of the traffic jams they said it would cause. (11)

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