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Greater Jakarta urged to improve connectivity
Nearing the turn of the year, Jakartans have pinned high hopes on soon enjoying more connectivity and integrated transportation, not only in the capital but also in neighboring cities
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earing the turn of the year, Jakartans have pinned high hopes on soon enjoying more connectivity and integrated transportation, not only in the capital but also in neighboring cities.
The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) has called on city administrations and developers in Bogor and Depok in West Java, Tangerang in Banten and Bekasi in West Java (Bodetabek) to develop a sustainable transportation network whereby housing construction should take into account access to public transportation interchanges.
“The development of good urban transportation must go through integrated and cross-sectoral planning that is consistent and complementary,” MTI transportation expert Djoko Setijowarno told The Jakarta Post recently. “It must start with good planning for access to public transportation services from all residential areas in Bodetabek.”
Djoko said that the integration of public transportation with residential areas was in accordance with the “push and pull” strategy in which “push” meant encouraging people to abandon their private vehicles and “pull” meant luring them to switch to public transportation.
In the “push” aspect, Djoko said cities could not rely on the even-odd vehicle license plate policy to manage traffic on toll roads entering Jakarta. The policy was implemented in 2018.
“Electronic road pricing [ERP] is an appropriate substitute for the odd-even license plate policy. An ERP policy would provide opportunity to improve the quality of transportation services, and local administrations should create programs that support this policy,” Djoko added.
In response, Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) head Bambang Prihartono said the agency was working on ERP regulations and supporting facilities that would be implemented in 2020 on national roads leading to Jakarta.
Meanwhile, traffic division head of the Bekasi Transportation Agency, Johan Budi, said Bekasi was ready to implement ERP in 2022 to support efforts to reduce the use of private vehicles to and from Jakarta.
Johan said his division had mapped connecting lanes where ERP would most likely be applied, such as Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Sultan Agung in West Bekasi, which bordered with Jakarta and were often congested during peak hours.
After pushing people to leave their vehicles at home by applying ERP, Djoko said encouraging them to take public transportation would not be enough without the development of infrastructure and transit-oriented development at interchanges and improved access to stations and terminals from residential areas.
“All commuter line stations have been upgraded. In fact, they have been physically rebuilt with high service standards, especially the double track from Manggarai Station [in South Jakarta] to Cikarang Station [in Bekasi].”
However, Djoko bemoaned the fact that commuter line stations lacked parking facilities, since people still needed to drive from their homes to train stations.
“Imagine how easy it would be if public transportation was available from residential areas to the nearest train station or bus stop. Then large parking areas would not be necessary at transportation hubs,” he said.
A number of developers have upgraded facilities near their residential developments. Sinar Mas Land, the developer of the 6,000-hectare BSD City, for instance, has upgraded Cisauk Station in Tangerang on the Tanah Abang-Rangkas Bitung line.
Prasmana Tanjung, 33-year-old resident of South Tangerang, however, argued that it was not enough to develop residential areas if they were more advantageous to car owners.
“Although there is a BSD link to take us around Tangerang, traffic density is still bad because it is not enough to change people’s mind-set to travel daily by public transportation,” said Prasmana.
“It is not enough to claim that residents can now enjoy public transportation to Jakarta, with commuter lines and several Transjakarta bus routes. We need sufficient access from the areas we live in to the hubs.”
