112 ■ CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
As a city grows, the progressive decay of the center because of congestion
is not unavoidable. Good traffi c management, timely transit investment, strict
parking regulations and market price of off -street parking, investments in
urban environment (pedestrian streets), and changes in land-use regulations
allowing vertical expansion would contribute to reinforce the center, to make
it attractive to new business, and to keep it as a major trip destination. Th ese
measures have been taken with success in New York City, Shanghai, and Singa-
pore, for instance. However, the policy coordination between investments and
regulations is oft en diffi cult to implement. Th is coordination has to be carried
out consistently for a long period to have an impact on the viability of urban
centers. Failure to expand the role of traditional city centers through infrastruc-
ture and amenities investments weakens transit systems in the long run because
the number of jobs in the center becomes stagnant or even decreases while all
additional jobs are created in suburban areas.
Th e comparison between the distributions of population in Jakarta (Jabo-
tabek) and Gauteng (fi gure 4.6) explains why Jakarta is able to successfully
Figure 4.6 Spatial Distribution of Population in Jakarta and Gauteng
Represented at the Same Scale
Source: 2001 census.
Gauteng: 8.7 Million peopleJakarta (Jabotabek) 16 Million peopleScale 100,000 people
0 50 km