Every day, dozens of students in Serpong, Tangerang, have to brave oncoming traffic just to get across the street.

Despite being one of the busiest roads in the city, Jl. Raya Serpong -- near the Alam Sutra, Bumi Serpong Damai and Vila Melati Mas housing complexes -- has no pedestrian walkways.

Instead, pedestrians have to dodge and weave through the thousands of vehicles that use the 12-kilometer-road every hour.

The street has only two pedestrian bridges.

"There is an urgent need for a pedestrian crossing along Jl. Raya Serpong due to the movement of such large numbers of people along with the high volume of traffic in the area. It's too risky for pedestrians to cross the road," Tangerang traffic police chief Insp. Ristanto said Tuesday.

The police have conducted a study on traffic density in the area, finding a pedestrian crosses the street nearly every second, he added.

"We've sent a letter to the Banten provincial public works agency three times to ask them to build pedestrian bridges, but the response is always that no budget exists for such construction," Ristanto said.

The absence of such bridges causes traffic congestion at certain points, such as at the Plaza Serpong and WTC Matahari shopping centers, as well near the Gading Serpong housing complex, the Ashobirin Hospital and the Pratama Abadi Industry building, he added.

Risanto said pedestrians crossing the street often disrupted traffic because passing vehicles had to slow down or stop, delaying vehicles behind them.

"At some spots, there are no signs warning motorists to reduce their speed and allow pedestrians to cross," he said, adding warning signs could help protect pedestrians.

Many multinational companies have opened offices in Serpong, accelerating economic growth in the area and attracting more visitors and foot traffic.

Tangerang regent Ismet Iskandar said his administration was not responsible for public facility construction along the road.

"Jl. Raya Serpong is a provincial road controlled by the Banten provincial administration, so we don't have the authority to build public facilities or to make improvements there," he added.

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