Other Publications
Jakarta carves out walkways, bike lanes
Agnes Winarti , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 10/21/2008 11:31 AM | City
Jakarta will soon see trial integrated pedestrian and bicycle lanes in the city, one of the city's planned efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Landscape architect Nirwono Joga said Monday the lanes would be delineated along the green belts beside riverbanks and rail lines and under overpasses.
"Creating bikeways and pedestrian lanes is actually much easier than constructing lanes for buses because we only need to mark lanes with signs indicating they are for bikes and pedestrians," he said during a media gathering held Monday by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP).
"All we still need is the administration's political will, which currently is lacking," he said.
Dedicated green lanes will afford more safety and comfort to those who choose walking and bicycling in the city, Joga said.
As a consultant to the city parks agency, Joga is currently working on a pilot project for creating an urban park network, in which green corridors will connect one city park to another.
Jakarta boasts a total of 800 city parks.
"The connecting green lanes will serve as both pedestrian and cycler lanes in the city," Joga said, citing the 3-kilometer lane connecting Suropati Park on Jl. Diponegoro, and National Monument (Monas) Park on Jl. Medan Merdeka, both in Central Jakarta.
He mentioned various pedestrian lanes suited for upgrade to bikeways within the planned park network: the Menteng area, which connects Suropati, Situ Lembang and Menteng parks; the Blok M-Kota corridor; and Kebayoran Baru's set of integrated parks and activity hubs like Blok M, Pasar Mayestik, Pasar Santa, Taman Ayodya, Taman Barito and Taman Puring.
"This pilot project will be launched in November. We are currently in the process of painting the signs to designate the bike and pedestrian routes."
Joga said no master plan had yet been created for non-motorized transportation, namely bicycles, despite the existence of a 1992 law on thoroughfares.
Meanwhile, the ITDP and the Bike to Work organization together consider a better appreciation of bicycles as a means of transportation an urgent need; cyclists do have equal rights vis-*-vis motorized vehicles.
"It's high time the busway system integrates with the non-motorized transportation modes, including walking and cycling," ITDP deputy country director Restiti Sekartini said.
"This integration will help the public shift from using private vehicles to using the busway," she said, adding the non-profit organization was putting together a pedestrian map detailing routes along and around busway corridors.
Toto Soegito from Bike to Work said, "the bicycle is still perceived as a second-class mode of transportation." The group currently has some 5,000 members in the capital, and 5,000 more who have recently joined in cities besides Jakarta.
Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo has said he would provide public infrastructure for bicycles only once 1,000,000 bikers were recorded in the city.
What's On
- Indonesia Furniture Fair
11/14/2009 11/22/2009 Jakarta Convention Center - Indonesia Maternity & Baby Expo 2009
11/20/2009 11/22/2009 Jakarta Convention Center
- Festival of India
10/29/2009 12/15/2009 Balai Kartini & Umar Ismail Hall, Jakarta
- Imagemakers of the Future: Photography exhibition
10/10/2009 11/30/2009 Alila Ubud Desa Melinggih Kelod Payangan, Gianyar 80572, Bali - Timeless Change
11/05/2009 12/07/2009 Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel Jimbaran, Bali. - Choreography of Colours; Sardono W. Kusumo's first solo painting exhibition
11/12/2009 12/12/2009 vivi yip art room Annexe Ciputra World Marketing Gallery Jalan Prof Satrio Kav 11, Casablanca
Halden (not verified) — Sun, 11/16/2008 - 7:19am
800 parks you say? Would be interested to find out what definition the government / Jakarta Post used to come up with that number... In reading this article I asked an Indonesian coworker how many parks he would guess Jakarta has and he came up with 6 (!). Technically there is a park near my house (there is a sign identifying the area as such), but the guys who cart away the neighborhood's trash have adopted the area as, well, a dump, so... well, you get the point. Great idea Jakarta but good luck.
Dean (not verified) — Thu, 11/06/2008 - 4:50pm
I think the government planning bicycle lanes is a great idea and will help develop the city. I don't think that they will get used for daily transport much in the short to medium term, but Jakartans don't have much in the way of recreational activity at the moment, and putting in bike paths in quiet areas will give people an opportunity to do something on the weekends, and if they're recreational routes then there's not much incentive for them to be clogged with motorcycles. In many ways it's as important to plan for recreational activities too, as living in a city is much more than having a means of travelling to and from work!
Planning green belts along rivers, railways and under overpasses is a great idea. I rode with friends from central Jakarta along a canal with a road along it that continues all the way to the sea! There is a huge potential to develop these areas. Although the reality is that at the moment these areas are filled with slums from the poorest people in the city, much garbage is dumped there, it smells, and people tried to rob us going over an overpass. It'd be good to try with a group of mountain bikers and I'm sure those riders who're brave enough to tackle Jl Sudirman wouldn't be put off.
A. Farouk (not verified) — Fri, 10/24/2008 - 5:56pm
Also, don't forget the PKL or street vendors who mushroom out in every new sidewalk created.
Steve Canada (not verified) — Wed, 10/22/2008 - 10:25pm
Hm, like Darren said. These lanes will probably be used by motorcycles for short cuts. I am all for it 100% but do Jakartans like to walk or bike? They seem a bit to lazy for walking if you ask me, Oh they like to walk in the malls;) I walk all the time & I feel very lonely walking down that street & watching all these cars & motorbikes passing by me.
Im all for it Fauzi, just make sure you have ambulances parked near these paths because you will get that occasional idiot on is motorbike running over a pedestrian. Jakarta will never be like Singapore, Dream on Jakartans;)
YuGho (not verified) — Wed, 10/22/2008 - 11:55am
And I'm wondering if there's any 'layak' pedestrian walkways in Jakarta?????
Even if there is, I'm not sure if it's condition is good.
A. Farouk (not verified) — Wed, 10/22/2008 - 11:05am
ditto
Darren (not verified) — Tue, 10/21/2008 - 11:52am
Yeah, and as it always happens in Jakarta, those bicycle and pedestrian lanes will be used by motorcyclists who will use them as shortcuts. Just look what happens to busway lanes...