PHUKET: Officials in charge of building Phuket's first underpass have rejected claims that it will create traffic ''chaos'' while it is being built.
''The object is to make Phuket's traffic flow more smoothly,'' the director of Italian-Thai Development, Narong Horee, said today.
''Residents are being told on television, radio and on billboards how to help ease potential traffic congestion.''
The start of the 600 million baht underpass project, due for a beginning on Wednesday, has been moved back and will now launch at 10pm on Friday.
People travelling from southern Phuket have been advised to turn left or right at the Central Festival intersection, Khun Narong said today.
Motorists travelling south have also been advised of potential diversions if traffic becomes too heavy because of the roadwork.
The narrowing of the bypass road route from three lanes to two in both directions is expected to cause some delays but will be a long way short of ''chaos,'' Khun Narong said.
About 40 traffic police will be on hand to help as barriers are structured along the route to separate work from passing traffic.
A footbridge that links Central Festival to another shopping precinct on the opposite side of the bypass road is to stay in place until February, Khun Narong said.
''An MoU has been signed with Central so that the footbridge can stay in place until the peak holiday season has passed,'' he said.
''Central Festival is looking at ways of carrying people from one shopping centre to the other once the footbridge comes down,'' Khun Narong said.
The underpass, together with a flyover system at the Tesco-Lotus intersection two kilometres along the bypass road, is expected to improve long-term traffic flow on Phuket at the cost of short-term inconvenience.
''The object is to make Phuket's traffic flow more smoothly,'' the director of Italian-Thai Development, Narong Horee, said today.
''Residents are being told on television, radio and on billboards how to help ease potential traffic congestion.''
The start of the 600 million baht underpass project, due for a beginning on Wednesday, has been moved back and will now launch at 10pm on Friday.
People travelling from southern Phuket have been advised to turn left or right at the Central Festival intersection, Khun Narong said today.
Motorists travelling south have also been advised of potential diversions if traffic becomes too heavy because of the roadwork.
The narrowing of the bypass road route from three lanes to two in both directions is expected to cause some delays but will be a long way short of ''chaos,'' Khun Narong said.
About 40 traffic police will be on hand to help as barriers are structured along the route to separate work from passing traffic.
A footbridge that links Central Festival to another shopping precinct on the opposite side of the bypass road is to stay in place until February, Khun Narong said.
''An MoU has been signed with Central so that the footbridge can stay in place until the peak holiday season has passed,'' he said.
''Central Festival is looking at ways of carrying people from one shopping centre to the other once the footbridge comes down,'' Khun Narong said.
The underpass, together with a flyover system at the Tesco-Lotus intersection two kilometres along the bypass road, is expected to improve long-term traffic flow on Phuket at the cost of short-term inconvenience.
it will be pure chaos. How they determine it will improve the traffic flow is beyond me. By the time it is completed more traffic will be on the road which will then compensate for the underpass. Lack of forward thinking and competent road management has resulted in this mess. Really highlights the problem that Phuket needs an alternative form of transport and quickly.
Posted by reader on November 19, 2012 12:56