ABSTRACT

What can we learn about transport and rationality from the world’s third largest metropolitan region? Much it seems. In this chapter, Jabodetabek’s transport development is revealed as the story of rationalities playing out in urban space and time. In different eras of development, organic paths, colonial canals, bus rapid transit and toll road suburbanization unfold as the rational product of prevailing metrics, technologies, funding sources, mottos and personalities. Periodic paradigm shifts produce a different mix of the five elements and different transport outcomes. At the end of this kaleidoscopic journey, the author recommends strategies for expanding Jabodetabek’s transport rationality to encourage balance in the coming era.