Pedestrian-friendly areas are an important must-have when speaking of sustainable cities and communities. UGM has built a safe, resilient, and inclusive pedestrian pathway that not only supports the university’s green transportation initiatives, but also to encourage a more eco-friendly and healthy style of mobility. Besides the use of electric vehicles (EVs) for campus shuttle transportation, commuting by foot is another sustainable practice to support decarbonization. We continue to improve the quantity and quality of our pedestrian areas each year, keeping in mind 3 key conditions: ease of access, safety, and comfort and inclusivity.
The pedestrian pathways at UGM are shown in the image below.
Ease of access
UGM’s campus in Bulaksumur is home to 420 buildings spread over an area of 1.7 million square meters. Pedestrian pathways at UGM connect the main entrances of all buildings on campus to one another, be it the faculty buildings, libraries, museums, university offices, etc. The pathways also lead to outdoor facilities such as open space areas and sport fields and are integrated with green transportation infrastructure. The pathways connect the Trans Gadjah Mada bus stops to parking spaces and even to campus bicycle stations.
Safety
Pedestrian areas must not only be accessible, they must also be safe to use. UGM maintains high quality security on campus headed by the Office of Security, Occupational Safety, Emergency, and Environmental Affairs or K5L. At certain intervals and nearly all corners, security posts with security officers are present, as shown on the map. A call center and emergency information can be contacted.
Pedestrian crossings are strategically placed at certain intervals on the pathways and/or at intersections to ensure safe and orderly road crossing for all pedestrians. In 2024, a Pedestrian Light Controlled (Pelican) crossing was added across Kaliurang Street—a provincial road that divides the UGM Campus into the West and East sides—featuring traffic lights and sirens as a safety system to alert approaching drivers of pedestrians crossing. Separators clearly divide pedestrian paths from bicycle lanes and car/motorcycle lanes. One can also find street lamps that line the pathways at regular intervals and above canopies to illuminate the paths, increasing visibility for pedestrians during hours with low lighting.
Comfort and Inclusivity
The pedestrian pathways are designed with user comfort in mind, featuring canopies along several routes to provide protection from rain and sunlight, allowing pedestrians to traverse across campus regardless of weather and shaded areas with large trees. Shading is an important aspect considering the high tropical temperatures in Yogyakarta.
Ramps and guiding blocks are available along the main pedestrian paths surrounding the campus to accommodate persons with disabilities and/or special needs. The ramps are made wheelchair-friendly, following the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) on accessibility design as stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Housing No. 14/PRT/M/2017, which complements the previous Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Housing No. 30/PRT/M/2006 .
For users who wish to travel a farther distance, they can rest and take breaks on benches found along the pathways.
References: