The Department of Transportation of Jakarta, Indonesia, has launched an intelligent transport system (ITS) to monitor and control traffic in the city.

The IDR30bn ($3.51m) system is used as a monitoring centre and is equipped to anticipate traffic situations and perform reactive action on traffic lanes.

The ITS system consists of three sub-systems: a bus tracking system to track city buses, an area traffic control system to set traffic lights during congestion and a traffic information system to provide electronic information in the form of a picture message, symbol and dynamic writing for road users.

A traffic monitoring and control system will use cameras and traffic lights at intersections to give priority-specific lanes where there is heavy traffic.

Monitoring and control systems are installed at 12 intersections in Jakarta and will be expanded to 13 by December 2011.

The ITS also features GPS technology to monitor the progress of the TransJakarta Busway system and help cut travel and waiting times.

The bus tracking system will be implemented on 90 buses on Transjakarta Corridor 1, which runs from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in North Jakarta. This will be expanded to include additional corridors later this year.

Signs will be used to give information about traffic congestion, accidents, alternate routes, estimated delays, incidents and during rallies.