PHUKET: Motorcyclists are banned from using Phuket's new underpass and being turned back while motorists enjoy the time-saving the ''Big Hole'' delivers.
Highways Department Director Samak Luedwonghad said today that traffic was flowing smoothly through the Central Festival underpass but that it was only designed to carry cars, trucks and buses.
''Some motorcyclists are trying to use the underpass but they have to stay above-ground,'' he said. ''Police are turning people back and warning them but eventually, motorcyclists who fail to comply will be fined.''
The underpass has shaved an estimated five minutes off travelling time - and the second underpass on the bypass road is expected to also help to speed the journey from Thepkasattri Road to Chalong Circle in southern Phuket.
''We will finish construction at Tesco-Lotus in October and the second underpass should be officially open early in 2016,'' Khun Samak said.
The terms of reference were also being worked out for Chalong Circle with the Bang Koo intersection solution also in their sights.
Phuket's administrators opted for the more expensive solution of underpasses because, as a tourist island, it was feared that overpasses would remind people too readily of the cities they were keen to leave behind while enjoying a tropical island holiday.
The same attention to the outlook of tourists has yet to be applied to taxi and tuk-tuk fares and speedboat safety.
Highways Department Director Samak Luedwonghad said today that traffic was flowing smoothly through the Central Festival underpass but that it was only designed to carry cars, trucks and buses.
''Some motorcyclists are trying to use the underpass but they have to stay above-ground,'' he said. ''Police are turning people back and warning them but eventually, motorcyclists who fail to comply will be fined.''
The underpass has shaved an estimated five minutes off travelling time - and the second underpass on the bypass road is expected to also help to speed the journey from Thepkasattri Road to Chalong Circle in southern Phuket.
''We will finish construction at Tesco-Lotus in October and the second underpass should be officially open early in 2016,'' Khun Samak said.
The terms of reference were also being worked out for Chalong Circle with the Bang Koo intersection solution also in their sights.
Phuket's administrators opted for the more expensive solution of underpasses because, as a tourist island, it was feared that overpasses would remind people too readily of the cities they were keen to leave behind while enjoying a tropical island holiday.
The same attention to the outlook of tourists has yet to be applied to taxi and tuk-tuk fares and speedboat safety.
The new three-lane underpass is still too little too late, especially after battling extra traffic jams for more than two years while it was being built.
But please, the underpass has been open only for a week or two, and already one of the three lanes is closed leaving only one lane open in ech direction.(see your pictures).
Posted by Phil on April 16, 2015 11:17