Cycling While Arranging the Capital

KOMPAS/JOHANES GALUH BIMANTARA

Fathahillah (left) and Agung cycling on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Jakarta, on Thursday (15/10/2020).

Jalan Jenderal Sudirman-MH Thamrin is well-known as a Jakarta business zone full of motorized vehicles. However, the emergence of cycling in the midst of the pandemic has begun to turn this area into a popular new public space.

Two cyclists, Fathahillah, 38, and Agung, 28, were enthusiastic to ride their bicycles on Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta, on Thursday (15/10/2020). The rays of the sun could not wipe their smiles. "Indeed, he is chasing the sun," Agung laughed as he stopped his folding bike near the Sudirman Integrated Commercial Area (SCBD), referring to his friend. It was a few minutes past 10:00 a.m., just right for getting the healthy sunshine.

Both of them departed from Kebon Manggis, Matraman, East Jakarta, then moved to Pasar Senen, Central Jakarta. From there, they continued towards the Arjuna Wijaya Statue roundabout or Horse Statue, then onto Jalan MH Thamrin, Sudirman, until they made a U-turn at the Senayan roundabout. They covered a total distance of 25.5 kilometers by the time they returned home.

Agung said that they started to become fond of cycling last June. Bicycles that had been stored for a long time were repaired and a number of new parts were installed. "It was fun, it turned out to be a hobby," said the private company employee.

The benefits

The hobby of cycling during a pandemic has given benefits to Fathahillah. The pain in his chest, as he has a heart disease, began to decrease. He has increasingly become more fond of staying mobile throughout the pandemic.

Another cyclist who was met near the intersection of Jalan Sudirman-Setiabudi Raya, Kristian, 21, said that he felt that his body was lighter and stronger since he started pedaling about three months ago. "Cycling in whatever direction doesn’t cause any exhaustion," said the young man from North Sulawesi.

In a survey by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), the number of cyclists along the heart of the capital city has increased more than 10 times.

Agung, Fathahillah and Kristian are part of an explosion of cyclists in Sudirman-Thamrin during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a survey by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), the number of cyclists along the heart of the capital city has increased more than 10 times.

The highest increase was at the survey location of the Dukuh Atas bus stop for the flow of cyclists heading to the north, from 21 cyclists to 235 cyclists. According to ITDP records, the increase in bicycle volume in Jakarta is on average 500 percent.

KOMPAS/JOHANES GALUH BIMANTARA

=Fathahillah (left) and Agung resting between bikes on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Jakarta, on Thursday (15/10/2020).

The experience of Mail Thime, the founder of the Bike Bro! Community, is in line with this trend. The community, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Kebagusan, South Jakarta, originally had 15 members. After the outbreak started to hit, the member count grew to 45. "Maybe because of the boredom with working from home, they choose to cycle," he said.

As a consequence, almost all shops have been out of stock of bicycles and spare parts. Thime, who is good at modifying and rebuilding bicycles, is confused because he often has to wait a long time to get bicycle parts. Besides that, the prices of various spare parts have also increased 100 to 200 percent.

This is because the method of mobility is recognized as a powerful strategy to maintain distance from other people, rather than taking public transportation, and it is often easier escape traffic jams while on bike.

ITDP Southeast Asia director Faela Sufa said the cycling trend was not only taking place in Jakarta. In various parts of the world, moving without motorized vehicles, including cycling, is gaining popularity. This is because the method of mobility is recognized as a powerful strategy to maintain distance from other people, rather than taking public transportation, and it is often easier escape traffic jams while on bike.

Governor Anies Baswedan responded to this global trend by outlining it in Jakarta Gubernatorial Regulation No. 51/2020, which underlines the first phase of transitional large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), starting June. Article 21 mandates that all roads are prioritized for pedestrians and cyclists as a means of mobility for easy-to-reach distances. The governor regulation also regulates the provision of special bicycle lanes and bicycle parking in offices and shopping centers.

The head of the Jakarta Transportation Office, Syafrin Liputo, together with the traffic director of the Jakarta Police, Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo, also launched a temporary bicycle lane on the Sudirman-Thamrin section in June.

KOMPAS/JOHANES GALUH BIMANTARA

Gowes rental bicycles are available near the Bendungan Hilir MRT Station, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, as seen on Thursday (15/10/2020).

The temporary bicycle lane was marked with traffic cones on the left side of the road, side by side with the sidewalk. Temporarily, the bike path is available on Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. On Saturday to Sunday, the line is valid from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The steps to pamper cyclists in Sudirman-Thamrin are classified as the most advanced compared to other sections. Iron arrangements for bicycle parking are provided at various points, especially near the entrance gates to the mass rapid transit (MRT) stations. Bicycle rental facilities are already available here.

However, Thime expressed worries that the popularity of cycling is only a momentary euphoria during the pandemic. Therefore, the executive director of the Committee for the Elimination of Lead Gasoline (KPBB) Ahmad Safrudin interpreted Thime\'s concern as an encouragement for the Jakarta administration to continue to make efforts to release Jakarta from one of its chronic diseases, namely congestion and air pollution.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Cyclists use a special bicycle lane on Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (16/8/2020).

"A humane city is a city that is friendly to cyclists and pedestrians," said Puput, Ahmad Safrudin\'s nickname.