By Dofa Fasila
Jakarta Globe
May 22, 2011
Cyclists riding down a freshly painted bike lane which stretches 1.4 kilometers along Jalan Mahakam from Ayodya Park in South Jakarta to Melawai on Jalan Iskandarsyah. Governor Fauzi Bowo called on all motorists to respect the lane and leave it clear for bicyclists. (Antara Photo/Reno Esnir)
Five thousand cyclists turned up at Ayodya Park in South Jakarta on Sunday for the inauguration of the city’s first bicycle lane.
The stretch, running 1.4 kilometers from the park down Jalan Mahakam to Melawai on Jalan Iskandarsyah, was officially opened by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, who deemed it essential for the growing number of cyclists in the city.
“We open this lane in response to the tremendous growth in the number of people commuting by bicycle, and the increase in cycling groups and committees,” Fauzi said.
He added this was only the first half of the planned lane, with the second stretch — running from Jalan Iskandarsyah to Jalan Prapanca — being built after an ongoing project to build an elevated road in the area was finished.
He also said future bike lanes would be built in other parts of the city, including alongside the East Flood Canal.
“Of course we won’t stop here,” Fauzi said. “We’ve now got one lane, so there’s bound to be a second and a third and so on.”
dontblockthebikelane 