Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities
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- providing pedestrian walkways;
- providing ATCS and ITS to integrate road traffic and BRT system effectively and efficiently;
- establishing Jabodetabek Transport Authority.
The three afore-mentioned planning documents recognise the same main challenge faced by Jakarta,
i.e. severe traffic congestion. The plans and strategies to address this challenge, outlined by those
documents, are very comprehensive and integrated, taking all modes and road users into
consideration. However, there is one strategy that still needs to be strengthened in order to promote
the shift towards sustainable transport: parking regulation. In both spatial planning and transport
master plan documents, the parking strategy is only intended to reduce on street parking by
promoting off street parking in order to maximise road capacity and to ease congestion. This strategy
might be able to accomplish the aim of reducing congestion, but it does not target the real problem,
which is high motorized traffic. The effectiveness of a strong parking strategy has been proven
worldwide to reduce private vehicle use and to promote more sustainable modes (see § 4.2.16).
Despite the strategies that have been developed to achieve an ideal situation for transport system in
Jakarta and despite the strategies that have been implemented to date, there is no significant result
yet in reducing traffic congestion in Jakarta. It is most likely that the real challenge lies in the
mechanism of implementing the strategies. So far, the planning documents offer solutions only from
the supply side. In other words, reactive solutions, which has been proven worldwide as an ineffective
approach.
Jakarta needs a multi-sectoral approach that includes supply, demand, institutional, legal and spatial
planning in a simultaneous and comprehensive way. However, such an ideal approach will always be
challenged by technical, physical, legal, institutional and financial constraints. The lessons learnt from
developed countries show that institutional reform that leads to regulation and governance reform is
needed to solve transport problems. This includes a clear vision, commitment, consistency and
leadership from the decision makers in creating a sustainable city.
If this approach is translated to the situation in Jakarta, the following issues can be pointed out:
1. Ineffective and inefficient coordination among different institutions
Indonesia's bureaucracy is known to be long and complicated. This hampers a smooth
coordination between institutions and different governmental levels which is needed to
implement effective and efficient transport solutions. One example is the different institutions
responsible in the BRT system. TransJakarta company is responsible for the operation and
Jakarta Transportation Agency is responsible for trajectory and routes. Meanwhile, pedestrian
bridge as access to the busway shelters and the road along the busway corridors are under the
authority of the Department of Public Works. Problems arise when these different institutions
are not on the same page when it comes to a commitment to improve the level of service of
TransJakarta.
2. Incorrect paradigm of mobility needs and congestion
In all planning documents discussed above, provision of a proper public transport system has
been pointed out as the first solution to tackle the congestion problem of Jakarta. While public
transport is a transport mode that needs to be provided by the government to address mobility
needs, regardless congestion problems. To address congestion then private vehicles need to be
restricted/reduced. Switching this paradigm reflects the same right of using roads between
private vehicle drivers and those who depend on public transport.
3. Missing link with housing policies
In the planning documents, housing policies for Jakarta are hardly targeted and linked with
transportation policies. The 20 million day population and 11 million night population of Jakarta
illustrates a long travel distance performed by commuters who cannot afford the exceptionally
high housing price in Jakarta. Besides the policies of accommodating the commuters’ journeys,