Activating Natural Urban Character for Systemic Mobility Enhancement : Jakarta as Delta Metropolis.

Traffic Congestion and Jakarta as Delta City

Traffic congestion does not happen only in Jakarta. In the long trajectory of urbanization and urban development up to our current time,  many great cities in the world suffer great loss and share the same social, economic or environmental problems because of it. Take Tokyo for example. With  similar growth and process of modern urbanization as Jakarta, Tokyo was once  a place of biggest agglomeration in human history; and was timely marked as city with the most horrific traffic jam in the world. It is however now a Megalopolitan considered as one of the most wide-covered, efficient mobility in the world. With long-term studies, measures and planning; each cities struggles to cope and handle traffic congestion, which often take years even decades. With currently the longest busway system in the world, the coming MRT network, city rail expansion, and other projected public transport system – Jakarta has taken its first few steps towards a much more strategic and efficient transportation planning. In longer term, as proven in many great examples all over the world, this will surely lead its way out of the critical condition at which it is now.

As many transportation experts said, when thinking and planning a long term accessibility/ mobility enhancement,  we have to remember that the systemic transportation and land use cycle is always there. Improvement in accessibility/ transportation modes will increase land value and yields economic and social improvements,  which then invites more people to come, which creates new urban sprawl, and at some point recreate new traffic problems.  The long term strategic planning is being used to keep the balance on the cycle, and keep the problem within  bearable level. In Jakarta case, what we think lacking is the vision for transportation priority and more systemic solution that can ease traffic problem; which optimizing city’s potential, give positive environmental/ social impacts, giving minimum additional load to city’s natural landscape, while bearing a forward mission towards sustainability.

Being said so, we look into a bigger picture and  think about Jakarta’s major problem along the time: traffic congestion and seasonal floods. We believe there are numerous aspects and multidimensional causes of each. Despite of which, we believe that some also share the same basic causes.  What if we can reduce both problems by one alternative systemic solution? What if while doing so, Jakarta could lift its natural character and social image? What if, by using and enhance its natural character – Jakarta could ease its worst problems? These are some of the backgrounds of what we think is the applicable strategic solution: Bring back and create an integrated waterways network system within Jakarta Metropolitan area.

Sit in a bay, Jakarta is a delta city of 13 rivers and one of the largest coastal city in Indonesia with over 80,000km long coastline. 13 rivers cut through the city from South to the North, which by itself create a widespread North-South lane network all over the city, crossing slum, CBD, urban settlements and residential, commercial and business center, all the way to the ports and harbor. Major canals with wide waterbody were created and functional as some of flood prevention measures. Large scale normalization and dredging in rivers and dams are ongoing effort for couple of past years to counter the annual flood. Practically speaking, these existing waterways and water body are huge potential for creating alternative network. This is of course not a new approach for Jakarta. There were some previous trials – even in the recent past to open waterways network for transportation mode in Jakarta. Two major problems were found: how to deal with garbage or water quality, and maintaining minimum water level for boats or water taxis. Both together, with many policy and administration lacks had been putting this idea away for years.

So why insisting waterways network? First of all, around 56%[1] of commuter load in Jakarta today are of those who commute to Central Jakarta and South Jakarta (North-South). By itself, current major waterways are South-North lanes; of which now considered as vacant, large inactive voids all over the city. Secondly, Jakarta suffers severe land subsidence reaching an average 1 to 15cm per year; especially due to high level of groundwater extraction and huge loads from construction and infrastructures[2]. Instead of adding more loads to the soil, waterbody provide existing lanes which does not need additional massive structure. Third, limitation of motor vehicles like motorcycles in arterial/ major roads – or private cars in alleyways are hard to implement, due to unintegrated land modes, feeder lacks, and limited North – South ways. Wide coverage of current waterways could become additional North-South lanes  which can be integrated into main land modes, and create in itself local feeder system within neighborhood level.  Fourth, rivers and waterbodies are being considered as back of the house, flood source, city sewerage, or even large garbage bin in Jakarta. Opening more controllable access to water by opening waterways network will create awareness to water condition and waste management in the long run.

Integrated Waterways Network System

Proposed Project: Jakarta Metropolitan Area Waterways Network

Location: Jakarta City-center[3]

This project wishes to bring back waterfront to public in the long run. In short term, the first approach should bring more bottom-up impacts – minimum intervention with wider effects on the transportation system. Instead of starting with major North-South Lanes and East-West Lanes, first stage of the proposed system is to start within district level, by creating scattered “Neighborhood Cells”[4]. In short, Neighborhood Cells are local feeder system that utilized smaller waterways, connected to feeder stations served by local feeder like angkutan kota, ojek and bajaj. These feeders will connect routes to bigger stations served by Kopaja, Metro mini and other public buses. This measure is taken to achieve several objectives:

• Wider coverage of  public transport system, with controlled feeders.
• Apply water waste management and garbage control as closer to headwaters, to maintain lower sedimentation level downstream.
• Apply bottom-up water sensitive awareness, from the grassroots within neighborhood level, while promotes public transport usage.
• Limit one-passenger vehicles within neighborhood level as much as possible.

First stage preparation will include parallel processes of:

• Strategic Planning of medium to long term Waterways Network and Waste Water Management System. Medium to long term planning is highly essential to make a comprehensive measure in achieving effective and efficient transportation mode. This process should incorporate multidisciplinary team to conduct complete long term analysis and projection of social, economic, and environmental impacts.
• Technical, including water and geodesic Analysis for West and East Flood Canals, also major North-South lanes[5].
• Technical, including water analysis for Neighborhood Cell Waterways to ensure control over optimum water level for waterways network during the year.
• Dredging, garbage excavation, normalization and waste water treatment plant for Neighborhood Cell Waterways[6].
• Land acquisition and clearance of the riverbanks in Neighborhood Cells.
• Preparation of feeder interchange stations with Dedicated Parking Spaces.

Graphic a: Major Waterways Network Map

Graphic b: Minor Pilot Projects Map

Neighborhood Cells planned to be bottom level feeder to the whole network. In the future development, interchanges are provided to connect this neighborhood cells with Secondary waterway lane, or land transportation modes like Trans Jakarta or railways/ MRT. Dedicated parking spaces will be provided on waterway stations out of walking distance from neighborhoods. This way, more single-passenger vehicles can be kept out of the primary and secondary road. On the  bigger waterway station when direct interchange is not possible to built, smaller local feeder terminal should be built to accommodate a limited number of coordinated  bajaj, ojek and angkutan kota. These local feeders can act as local shuttle to nearest Trans Jakarta or railway stations. This way, fixed price can be implemented to local shuttles.

In the long run, the expected impacts of this project are:

• Larger, efficient  coverage of public transportation within city center
• Possibility of limitation/ prohibition of  single-passenger vehicles usage on arterial, primary and secondary road within city center
• Possibility to limit large vehicles usage on main road/ street within district/ neighborhood with waterway lanes
•  Higher public awareness and sensitivity towards waterways condition and management
•  Integrated and efficient transportation mode within city center
• Uplift waterfront area in district/ neighborhood scale and increase  economic value/ commodity along waterfront area

Jakarta. May 2015. Submitted for Jakarta Urban Challenge 2015. In collaboration with Esther Febriana and Iwan Widjaja

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[1] Berita Resmi Statistik BPS Provinsi DKI Jakarta No.12/02/31/Th.XVII, 16 Februari 2015

[2] Abidin, Hasanuddin Z.  Andreas, Heri. Gumilar, Iwan. Gamal, Mohammad. Fukuda, Yoichi and Deguchi, T. “Land Subsidence and Urban Development in Jakarta (Indonesia)”, Spatial Data Serving People: Land Governance and the Environment – Building the Capacity Hanoi, Vietnam, 19-22 October 2009.

[5] See Graphic a (only major lanes visible)

[6] See Graphic b (selected minor lanes in most dense neighborhoods)

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Bordeaux: Kedalaman Rasa Anggur

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Ada kota-kota di dunia, di mana jalan dan gang terlihat serupa, di mana hawa udaranya mengingatkanmu akan kota lain, dan manusia yang melenggang di ruangnya terlihat sama saja dengan kota-kota lain. Namun di sana, di kota-kota seperti ini, sesuatu kadang menggelitik dalam-dalam inderamu. Turis dengan bahasa mereka masing-masing, gestur dan emosi di wajah, tapak-tapak kaki dan jejak langkah - atau bahkan mungkin bau pagar besi yang menyeruak. Seringkali, bahkan tanpa sadar - kita cenderung mencari originalitas yang niscaya dari macam-macam hal - dan suatu tempat. Arsitektur yang dipromosikan dan menjadi sekedar penarik minat wisata seperti kota tua yang bersejarah, gereja-gereja gothic - mesjid-mesjid oriental - mungkin juga kuil-kuil di luar bayangan - dan istana-istana eksotik atau plaza dengan sejarah genosida. Kebanyakan lain mungkin memilih perjalanan kuliner mencari makanan khas rumahan setempat, atau produk lokal tradisional. Seluruh paduan tanah, manusia, tradisi dan budaya yang mengawalnya, serta putaran waktu membentuk sempurna rupa kota yang sangat beragam.
Berdiri di Utara pegunungan Pirenea, kulit Bordeaux menampilkan gestur Perancis Selatan yang khas dan lembutnya keindahan rentang lahan pegunungan. Kota itu sendiri terlukis apik oleh ruang-ruang yang tercipta karena tumpukkan kebaruan yang berkelindan dengan wajah kota tua. Seiring ledakan industri pariwisata di seluruh dunia, trotoar dan jalan serta kios-kios kecil atau kapel di kota menjadi atraksi tersendiri dengan cara yang unik. Orang-orang berhamburan keluar dari stasiun kereta; dengan koper-koper dan peta di tangan, suara jepretan kamera-kamera di sepanjang lapangan skateboard, dan keluarga-keluarga berpose di antara La Porte Cailhau. Bangunan-bangunan tua berjajar menghadap sungai, menyajikan tampilan fotografis yang cocok dipampang di kartu pos atau jurnal perjalanan. Namun di luar segala animo wisata dan komodifikasi industri; darah Bordeaux - adalah kentalnya rasa anggur yang mengaliri pembuluh darahnya melalui setiap organ menuju jantung; di mana benihnya meledak menghasilkan wine yang mengaliri Sungai Garonne.
Gigitan pertama: Bordeaux itu kelat, sepat. Rasa yang akrab sekaligus asing sebegitu rupa muncul sebagai kesan pertama. Kesan serupa namun tak sama datang dari keramaian orang di sekitar dan di seberang jalan, trotoar dan gang-gang kecil. Pria dan wanita, anak lelaki dan perempuan - dengan busana musim dingin rapat hingga leher dan senyum-senyum liburan yang renyah. Batu dan aspal, bata dan mortar. Gereja-gereja gothic dan struktur beton, gang dan boulevard. Kios penjual pizza dan kebab, bar, kafe dan restoran. Di atas semuanya, teriknya mentari yang bersinar tak bisa mengalahkan dinginnya udara musim dingin.
Sensasi kedua: Bordeaux itu renyah, dan manis - dengan sedikit sengatan lemon dan ranumnya madu. Tidak hanya menggodamu untuk menjelajahinya lebih jauh, Rupa tampak dan deretan bangunan menawarkan pemandangan menarik berlayar tipikal Eropa. Toko-toko kecil yang manis, toko-toko roti dengan aroma croissant, lini-lini garis di boulevard, dan rangkaian bunga tangan dari toko kembang berjalinan satu sama lain. Semua itu memunculkan sentimentalitas tersendiri, walaupun bau amis tetap tercium dari lubang riol yang terbuka, puntung-puntung rokok bertebaran menjadi penghias trotoar, dan asap kendaraan yang menghitam bergumul di putihnya langit jalanan.
Peran ketiga: Bordeaux memiliki beberapa biji di pusatnya. Pusat wisata menghadirkan kemegahan struktur antik bersamaan dengan deretan kios dan toko kecil dengan taburan mesin gastronomik yang menggoda. Penanda jalan dan pemberhentian trem menunjukkan landmark kota, petunjuk khusus bagi sekelompok orang dari belahan bumi yang lain, atau para backpacker yang berkelana tanpa peta. Warna-warni macaroon yang menangkap pandangan dan tumpukan kouignette menghiasi tampilan jendela toko di ujung jalan; dilengkapi sebuah mesin fondue yang meluapkan cokelat panas. Sensasi aroma itu sendiri tercipta dari deretan toko kue, bistro, dan chocolatier - memanjakanmu dengan kombinasi sempurna ringannya rempah, mentega di atas croissant, gula beku, bau kacang di biskuit, dan pekatnya cacao yang memabukkan. Sensasi yang kaya itu seperti biji anggur yang tak bisa kita kecap langsung, tapi mencipta gerbang menuju rentang waktu yang lain.
Jantung yang meledak: Bordeaux adalah wine. Mengalir seperti Sungai Garonne yang mendefinisikan kota ini secara geografis, wine adalah jantung Bordeaux. Terselimuti dan dilingkupi oleh area-area perkebunan anggur, siapapun dapat mengendus anggur di udara Bordeaux, seandainyapun mereka tidak minum wine. Rasa sejati yang artistik meresap pekat; dari puri-puri keluarga dan perkebunan anggur mereka, serta botol-botol dalam gudang penyimpanan bawah tanah, sebuah kamus lengkap yang mengintisari. Mulai dari banyaknya jenis red wine hingga white wine, rose atau wine berkarbonat; dengan aroma rempah, rasa buah, atau ranum kacang; ringan, hangat, atau pekat dan elegan - sebuah kedigdayaan alam yang terkunci dalam botol. Disajikan dengan gelas-gelas tipikal dengan warna dan teksturnya sendiri, seseorang dapat melihat wine di manapun di atas meja restoran, bistro, dan kafe di seluruh penjuru Bordeaux. Sementara lebih dan makin banyak bir disajikan di kebanyakan kota-kota Eropa sekarang ini, Bordeaux adalah cerita yang sama sekali lain. Sebuah cerita; buku dengan lembar-lembar kosong untuk ditulisi. Bordeaux - adalah satu dari beberapa kota di mana segalanya tampak biasa, sekaligus menggelitik indera kita dengan segalanya.

Striwicesa, 2012