Optimizing Railway Right-of-Way as Child-Friendly Public Space Based on Transportation Education: A Behavioral Characteristics Study at Taman Rasam, Purwokerto

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Informal public spaces that emerge spontaneously along active railway rights-of-way sit at an understudied intersection of urban informality, child-friendly design, and transport risk governance. Prior public-space research has examined behavior in parks, waterfronts, and station forecourts, but rarely a case in which the hazardous infrastructure edge itself is the primary behavioral attractor for children. This gap is addressed through the case of Taman Rasam, an informal park that developed spontaneously along the active railway corridor near Purwokerto Station, Indonesia. Guided by behavior setting theory, affordance-based risk-perception theory, and the risk governance framework, the study asks why an unregulated railway edge outcompetes formal parks in attracting child users despite its hazards, and what design and governance interventions can reconcile the site's educational affordances with child safety. Purpose: to analyze user characteristics, motives, and behavioral drivers at Taman Rasam and translate these into a compliance-based design and governance model aligned with Indonesia's Child-Friendly Play Space standard (Ruang Bermain Ramah Anak/RBRA, SNI 9169:2023). Methods: a mixed-methods design combined a quota-sampled questionnaire ( respondents, surveyed during peak visiting hours, 15:00–18:00 WIB), place-centered behavior mapping across 8 systematic observation sessions with 15-minute intervals, field observation of physical infrastructure, and a policy/standards review. Instrument internal consistency was verified using Cronbach's alpha (). Results: users are dominated by families with children under 10 years (), drawn primarily by free access and the educational appeal of passing trains ( cite family tourism/education as their main motive). A Chi-Square test of independence confirmed a highly significant dependence between age cohort and visit motivation (), with a strong effect size (Cramér's ). Behavior mapping shows a consistent concentration of activity at the track-facing boundary fence whenever a train approaches—a pattern consistent with edge-effect and affordance theory. Benchmarking existing conditions against RBRA/SNI 9169:2023 criteria shows the site is non-compliant on boundary safety and play-equipment material, and only partially compliant on inclusive supporting facilities. Conclusion: Taman Rasam exemplifies a broader pattern in which community-led transformation of marginal transport land generates behavioral demand that outpaces formal safety regulation. Closing this gap requires treating the railway edge as a deliberately designed, buffered "frontier" rather than an incidental boundary, and embedding periodic compliance auditing within local Child-Friendly City (Kota Layak Anak/KLA) governance

Keywords: informal public space, child-friendly design, railway right-of-way, risk governance, behavior mapping.

ABSTRAK

Ruang publik informal yang tumbuh secara spontan di sepanjang sempadan jalur kereta api aktif berada pada titik temu yang masih jarang diteliti antara informalitas perkotaan, desain ramah anak, dan tata kelola risiko transportasi. Studi ruang publik sebelumnya banyak mengkaji perilaku pengguna di taman, kawasan tepi air, atau pelataran stasiun, namun jarang membahas kasus di mana sisi infrastruktur berisiko justru menjadi daya tarik perilaku utama bagi anak-anak. Kesenjangan ini dikaji melalui kasus Taman Rasam, taman informal yang tumbuh di sepanjang jalur kereta api aktif dekat Stasiun Purwokerto. Dengan berpijak pada teori behavior setting, teori affordance dan persepsi risiko, serta kerangka tata kelola risiko, penelitian ini menjawab pertanyaan mengapa sempadan rel yang tidak terregulasi justru lebih diminati dibandingkan taman formal, serta intervensi desain dan tata kelola apa yang dapat menyeimbangkan fungsi edukatif dengan keselamatan anak. Tujuan: menganalisis karakteristik pengguna, motif, dan pendorong perilaku di Taman Rasam serta menerjemahkannya ke dalam model desain dan tata kelola berbasis kepatuhan terhadap standar Ruang Bermain Ramah Anak (RBRA, SNI 9169:2023). Metode: penelitian campuran memadukan survei kuesioner dengan quota sampling ( responden pada jam kunjungan puncak 15.00–18.00 WIB), pemetaan perilaku (behavior mapping) terstruktur dalam 8 sesi pengamatan berinterval 15 menit, reliabilitas instrumen Cronbach's alpha (), observasi lapangan terhadap kondisi infrastruktur, uji statistik inferensial Chi-Square, serta kajian kebijakan/standar. Hasil: pengguna didominasi keluarga dengan anak di bawah 10 tahun (), dengan motivasi utama akses gratis dan daya tarik edukatif kereta api ( menyebut wisata keluarga dan edukasi sebagai tujuan utama). Uji Chi-Square membuktikan hubungan independensi yang sangat signifikan antara kelompok usia dan motivasi berkunjung (; Cramér's ). Pemetaan perilaku menunjukkan konsentrasi aktivitas yang konsisten di pagar batas rel setiap kali kereta mendekat. Evaluasi kondisi eksisting terhadap kriteria RBRA/SNI 9169:2023 menunjukkan taman ini belum memenuhi standar keamanan batas dan material alat bermain, serta baru sebagian memenuhi standar fasilitas pendukung inklusif. Simpulan: Menutup kesenjangan ini memerlukan perlakuan terhadap sempadan rel sebagai "frontier" yang dirancang dan diberi zona penyangga, serta pengarusutamaan audit kepatuhan berkala dalam tata kelola Kota Layak Anak (KLA).

Kata kunci: ruang publik informal, desain ramah anak, sempadan jalur kereta api, tata kelola risiko, pemetaan perilaku.