THE NUMBER of lanes around the Heroines Monument is to grow from three lanes to five lanes, while Chalong Circle has survived for now a proposal to converted the five-road intersection to traffic lights.
Long term solutions to the traffic problems posed by the island's two most notorious roundabouts are still being sought by local authorities and police.
At Chalong in the south, local police chief Samarn Chainarong is still seeking the budget for traffic lights because he believes it will alleviate the bottlenecks that come at peak traffic periods.
He says he has support for the idea from the Governor, the Chalong and Rawai Orbortors, the Phuket Orborjor, and the Highways Department.
He also says informal surveys of people in the area show the idea is widely backed.
While police on points duty offer an interim solution to control the traffic now, he believes lights will be the only answer within three to five years.
All that's needed now is the budget, and that has to come from the Orborjor.
At Thalang, in the centre of the island, the Heroines Monument roundabout will be widened to make left hand turns easier, the local police chief, Chinarat Riggakananon, told Phuketwan.
The widening will take six metres from the surrounding footpaths. Stallholders occupying government land will have to move first.
The Orbortor Srisuntorn has covered the cost of the research and planning and has said they will share the cost of the widening with the Phuket Orborjor.
Many ideas had been considered, said Orbortor President Tamrong Tanpiwatchakun, including traffic lights, underpasses and overpasses.
The concept of an overpass was rejected because it would put traffic above the monument to the two fighting sisters.
An underpass would cost too much, and concern was also expressed about the danger of crashes.
The main Thepkasattri Road will continue to be a flow-through route at peak times, with many motorists still being forced to make u-turns on either side of the monument roundabout.
Times for the flow-through, which is supervised by police, are changing, based on research.
The morning peak will continue to be 7am to 9am. But the evening period will start and finish 30 minutes later, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
Related Article:
Patong Hill Underpass Ruled Over the Top on Costs
Like to tell us your view on Phuket's traffic? Just add your comment below
Long term solutions to the traffic problems posed by the island's two most notorious roundabouts are still being sought by local authorities and police.
At Chalong in the south, local police chief Samarn Chainarong is still seeking the budget for traffic lights because he believes it will alleviate the bottlenecks that come at peak traffic periods.
He says he has support for the idea from the Governor, the Chalong and Rawai Orbortors, the Phuket Orborjor, and the Highways Department.
He also says informal surveys of people in the area show the idea is widely backed.
While police on points duty offer an interim solution to control the traffic now, he believes lights will be the only answer within three to five years.
All that's needed now is the budget, and that has to come from the Orborjor.
At Thalang, in the centre of the island, the Heroines Monument roundabout will be widened to make left hand turns easier, the local police chief, Chinarat Riggakananon, told Phuketwan.
The widening will take six metres from the surrounding footpaths. Stallholders occupying government land will have to move first.
The Orbortor Srisuntorn has covered the cost of the research and planning and has said they will share the cost of the widening with the Phuket Orborjor.
Many ideas had been considered, said Orbortor President Tamrong Tanpiwatchakun, including traffic lights, underpasses and overpasses.
The concept of an overpass was rejected because it would put traffic above the monument to the two fighting sisters.
An underpass would cost too much, and concern was also expressed about the danger of crashes.
The main Thepkasattri Road will continue to be a flow-through route at peak times, with many motorists still being forced to make u-turns on either side of the monument roundabout.
Times for the flow-through, which is supervised by police, are changing, based on research.
The morning peak will continue to be 7am to 9am. But the evening period will start and finish 30 minutes later, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
Related Article:
Patong Hill Underpass Ruled Over the Top on Costs
Like to tell us your view on Phuket's traffic? Just add your comment below
