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Jakarta Post

Major sidewalk renovation tests pedestrians' patience

Without neglecting the fact that the extensive renovation of sidewalks in Jakarta is aimed at providing more and safer space for pedestrians, questions have been raised as to where people should walk while the construction is underway

Vela Andapita (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Thu, October 24, 2019

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Major sidewalk renovation tests pedestrians' patience

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span>Without neglecting the fact that the extensive renovation of sidewalks in Jakarta is aimed at providing more and safer space for pedestrians, questions have been raised as to where people should walk while the construction is underway.

In a city where pedestrians are second-class citizens and even harassed by motorcyclists on the sidewalks during peak hours, demolishing their only space to walk, albeit temporary, exposes them to danger by forcing them to walk among vehicles.

The Jakarta administration is revamping sidewalks on several major roads, including Jl. Cikini Raya in Senen, Central Jakarta, where work is taking place on both sides of the road.

One of many pedestrians affected is Rahmat Hidayat, who works in a building located near the Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) arts and cultural center.

Every working day, Rahmat takes a commuter train from Depok in West Java to the Cikini train station. He said that walking between the train station and his office was challenging since the sidewalk renovation began.

“During rush hour in the evening, the road gets congested with traffic and street vendors erecting tents for their business. Adding to that, we also ‘enjoy’ the dust from the construction and air pollution from the vehicles,” he lamented recently.

“But I suppose I just have to be patient, because after this, my daily commute between my office and the station will be more comfortable,” the 33-year-old added.

Responding to the complaints, the Bina Marga road agency’s section head for road network and utilities planning Riri Asnita claimed the renovation contractors provided temporary pedestrian lanes while the sidewalks were being revamped.

“Bina Marga, as the project operator, has always reminded the contractors to follow all of the rules, which includes providing temporary paths for pedestrians,” she added.

Riri was referring to a circular from the Public Works and Housing Ministry on guidelines for road and bridge development.

The circular stipulates that, during sidewalk reconstruction, a lane of a width between 0.75 and 1.5 meter-wide should be allocated for pedestrians. The lane and the road should be separated with a safety barrier, such as traffic cones or barricades.

Problems arise when road users, particularly motorcyclists, ignore the signs. Some hit the traffic cones or even ride in the space allocated for pedestrians, forcing the latter to navigate their way through the traffic.

“No matter how much we, Bina Marga, and the contractors insist on upholding the rules, it means nothing if the road users fail to respect [the lane],” Riri said.

The pedestrian lane would be eliminated once the surface of the revamped sidewalk was ready to be walked on. This is now the case at the ongoing renovation project on Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio in Kuningan, South Jakarta. As of Monday, pedestrians can use the sidewalks while construction workers put the finishing touches on them.

This final work includes installing guiding blocks for blind pedestrians, planting flowers and trees on the green line and painting the outer side of the sidewalk.

The sidewalk revitalization project marks the continuation of a program carried out by the city administration since 2017. The project is expected to complete in 2022.

From 2017 to 2018, the city revamped sidewalks in 51 locations, including the thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

This year, the city is working on Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro, Jl. Kramat Raya, Jl. Salemba Raya, Jl. Cikini Raya and Jl. Matraman Raya in Central Jakarta; Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio and Jl. Kemang Raya in South Jakarta; Jl. Otto Iskandardinata, Jl. Latumenten, Jl. Sunter Jaya, Jl. North Danau Sunter and Jl. Yos Sudarso in North Jakarta.

The project is focused on sidewalks that have uneven surfaces and holes and are often blocked by street vendors. It is aimed at improving and expanding the sidewalks from an average width of 1.5 m to between 3 and 7 m.

The Bina Marga agency is using the so-called “complete street” concept that will cater to the interests of all pedestrians, including those with special needs like the elders, people with disabilities and pregnant women. It also aims to accommodate cyclists and street vendors.

On Monday, Bina Marga head Hari Nugroho said the agency was considering the idea of providing special space for street vendors.

“We may provide space for street vendors on sidewalks that are 5-meter wide or wider. If it is less than that, [the sidewalks] should be clear and only for pedestrians,” he said as quoted by kompas.com.

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