City planning is a future-oriented process that shapes land use and the built environment to garner investments and growth. An example is Iskandar Malaysia in Johor.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said city planning is an important aspect that has been looked into by Iskandar Malaysia as it seeks to tackle urban issues ranging from the lack of sustainable mobility to economic imbalance.
IRDA is the master planner of Iskandar Malaysia, created in 2006, and three times the size of Singapore. As an economic corridor, it focuses on holistic and comprehensive growth, understanding the importance of balancing economic prosperity, quality living and a resilient environment.
Ismail said IRDA's planning for the Iskandar region is aligned with the need to support national goals, and push for sustainable mobility.
In his talk at the City Expo Malaysia here today, Ismail said that connectivity is one of the key aspects in creating an ecosystem to attract the right and impactful investment.
He said in creating a good metropolis, the importance of connectivity is of paramount importance and this is where IRDA has rolled out the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system as a smart mobility initiative.
"The way to move forward from looking at developed nations and modern cities around the globe is by using public transportation. BRT would be the game-changer," he said.
Ismail said buses would also be electrified to further lower their carbon footprint.
He added that IRDA is looking to shift the ratio of trips using private versus public transport from 85:15 to 70:30, or 50:50 through the BRT.
IRDA is working on Malaysia's first comprehensive state-level implementation of a BRT system and it will serve as a backbone of the public transportation infrastructure in Iskandar Malaysia.
It is in talks with Johor Bahru City Council and Iskandar Puteri City Council to improve the commuting experience, such as providing sheltered walkways, wheelchair-friendly sidewalks, and ensuring well-lit places leading to the bus shelters.
Ismail said the project is a strategic national initiative to develop a reliable and convenient BRT system to improve accessibility and enhance the quality of life of the communities in Iskandar Malaysia.
The BRT network is expected to be completed by 2023. The network covers 2,043km with three main lines, namely Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, and Tebrau, including 44 direct routes and 55 feeder routes.