PHUKET: A final public meeting on August 6 should give impetus for the Chalong Circle underpass project to begin construction, Phuket's top roads official said today.
''The meeting will be held at the Metropole in Phuket City from 9am to noon,'' said Phuket's Director of Roads department, Somsak Lerdwonghat.
A nine-million-baht study produced three potential outcomes for pushing traffic through the often-criticised bottleneck junction in southern Phuket.
Emerging as the leading contender is a two-way, one-kilometre-long underpass between Chao Fa West Rd and Viset Rd, beneath the existing roundabout.
Such a long tunnel would take 30 months and probably lead to considerable angst on the part of commuters.
Construction would cost 700 million, Khun Somsak said. ''We hope the construction company will quickly be able to confirm their suggested diversions around the circle during digging and building,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Central Festival Phuket underpass is 78 percent complete, with electricity, lights, fans and pumps still to be installed and the completion date of September likely to be achieved.
The Tesco Lotus underpass just a kilometre away down the bypass road artery has encountered a problem in the form of an unmapped water drain that will impede construction and require a major diversion.
Talks are taking place with Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority. The authority has been asked to organise a new arrangement but with the underpass 30 percent complete, a delay of at least two months seems likely.
''The meeting will be held at the Metropole in Phuket City from 9am to noon,'' said Phuket's Director of Roads department, Somsak Lerdwonghat.
A nine-million-baht study produced three potential outcomes for pushing traffic through the often-criticised bottleneck junction in southern Phuket.
Emerging as the leading contender is a two-way, one-kilometre-long underpass between Chao Fa West Rd and Viset Rd, beneath the existing roundabout.
Such a long tunnel would take 30 months and probably lead to considerable angst on the part of commuters.
Construction would cost 700 million, Khun Somsak said. ''We hope the construction company will quickly be able to confirm their suggested diversions around the circle during digging and building,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Central Festival Phuket underpass is 78 percent complete, with electricity, lights, fans and pumps still to be installed and the completion date of September likely to be achieved.
The Tesco Lotus underpass just a kilometre away down the bypass road artery has encountered a problem in the form of an unmapped water drain that will impede construction and require a major diversion.
Talks are taking place with Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority. The authority has been asked to organise a new arrangement but with the underpass 30 percent complete, a delay of at least two months seems likely.
It would be cheaper to buy up the property near the roundabout and make a Proper roundabout for probably 25% of the cost they propose.
The actual design is why it doesn't work, then of course educating people on how to use a roundabout would also help.
Posted by Tbs on July 31, 2014 12:15