Tangerang needs more crosswalks

TANGERANG: Pedestrian crosswalks and barriers along the median to prevent pedestrians from carelessly crossing Jl. Raya Serpong are desperately needed, residents say.

Usman, a public minibus driver, said recently that he often had near misses with pedestrians crossing the road. Another resident, Saeful, said that he had witnessed several accidents along the busy 10-kilometer stretch.

The Jakarta Post observed that the five most crowded points were at the Gading Serpong intersection, Gading Serpong Plaza, WTC Matahari, Giant supermarket and BSD plaza.

The road has become more crowded because it also links Tangerang and Bogor now. Serpong has also experienced rapid development with several new shopping centers and hundeds of new homes.

The Banten provincial administration is widening both sides of the road in a project valued at Rp 5 billion (US$550,660), but it does not call for the installment of pedestrian crossings. -- JP