T

he Jakarta Development Planning Board (Bappeda) says it will start work on an elevated road for a new corridor of the Transjakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in 2013.

The proposed route will run from Blok M in South Jakarta to the capital’s border, near Ciledug, South Tangerang.

Bappeda chairman Sarwo Handayani said on Friday that she was optimistic that the administration would have enough money for the project. “It will not be a financial burden for the city to start the construction as soon as possible,” Sarwo said.

The city has been planning to build a 3-kilometer elevated road between Pakubuwono, South Jakarta, and Ciledug.

Sarwo said that the board was still studying whether to limit use of the elevated road exclusively to Transjakarta or to expand the project so private vehicles could use it.

“We’re still analyzing whether we need to increase road capacity in the area by building a four-lane elevated road, instead of just a two-lane road,” Sarwo said.

She said that the cost of the Transjakarta road project would be about that of the two elevated roads currently under construction in South Jakarta and East Jakarta.

The city plans to spend Rp 2.2 trillion (US$235.4 million) to build 7.1 kilometers of elevated road in the latter project, at a cost of about Rp 300 billion per kilometer.

The Jakarta Transportation Agency previously proposed constructing dedicated elevated roads for three additional planned Transjakarta routes.

Agency chief Udar Pristono said that elevated roads were the best option for corridors 13, 14 and 15, as the routes would cut through crowded neighborhoods and severely congested thoroughfares. “A number of roads along the planned routes are too small for us to build exclusive BRT tracks. We’re left with two choices: buying more land or building elevated roads,” Udar said.

He added that land acquisitions would require more time and money than building elevated roads.

Corridor 14 is planned to connect Depok, south of Jakarta, and Manggarai, Central Jakarta, while corridor 15 is planned to link Kalimalang, East Jakarta, and Blok M.

The construction of elevated roads has also been proposed to connect Pancoran intersection and Jl. Raya Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, for Corridor 14 and along Jl. Kalimalang in East Jakarta for Corridor 15.

Financial problems caused the administration to push back the launch the three routes, the last part of the Transjakarta system, from the end of the year.

Construction of the remaining routes will await the completion of corridor 12 connecting Pluit and Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta.

Udar said that Corridor 12 would be operational in December. “We are now holding the construction tender for the project,” he said.