Exat expects early Cabinet nod for expressway in Phuket

[webfact]

Exat expects early Cabinet nod for expressway in Phuket

By THE NATION

 

(Representational Image)

 

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) is finalising details of an expressway project connecting Phuket’s Kathu and Patong subdistricts and hopes to propose to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob within next week, Exat governor Surachet Laophulsuk said.

 

“The expressway will be 4km long and comprise a 1.85km- long tunnel, costing Bt14 billion,” he said.

 

“After the transport minister approves the details, he will propose them at the next Cabinet meeting which is scheduled for November 2-3 in Phuket. We will use this chance to invite ministers to visit the actual construction site.”

 

Surachet added that the expressway will run through three areas of national forest lands and a land earmarked for agricultural reform, but there should be no obstacle since Exat had already received permission from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Agricultural Land Reform Office.

 

“The construction should have minimal impact on the forest lands, while we hope that the project would be approved by the Cabinet before February 2021, then the bidding for contractors should start by mid-2021,” he said. “Construction should start by mid-2022 and will take approximately four years. The expressway should be open for public use in 2026.”

 

Exat estimates that in the first year of operation, the expressway will have traffic flow of 60,000 vehicles per day, half of them cars and the other half motorcycles. Proposed toll fees are: Bt15 for motorcycles, Bt40 for four-wheel vehicles, Bt85 for six- to 10-wheel vehicles, and Bt125 for vehicles with more than 10 wheels.

 

Meanwhile, a news source from Exat revealed that the authority would seek permission from the Commission for the Management of Land Traffic to start construction of the Northern Expressway in the N2 section on Kaset – Navamin Road right away, without waiting for the N1 section to be completed, to prevent the project from being delayed.

 

Kasetsart University is opposing the construction of the N1 section, which runs in front of the university, whereas the bidding for N2 section can start as soon as early next year.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30396658

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-23

 

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[Old Croc]

Good grief!

Another pie in the sky project to add to the airport expressway, the Patong tunnel the tram, the city bus service, the water pipeline from Phangnga, the cable car, etc. etc., awaiting action beyond just consultancy fees.

 

[Deli]

Keep out the Chinese bus loads and all this is not needed at all

[simon43]

[quote]

the expressway will have traffic flow of 60,000 vehicles per day,

[/quote]

 

Think about that number for a moment.  That means that every minute of every day, there will be 42 vehicles passing a fixed monitoring point on that road.  In reality, the traffic will be quieter at certain times of the day/night.  But overall, the numbers quoted are IMHO, completely ludicrous!

[DrDave]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Good grief!

Another pie in the sky project to add to the airport expressway, the Patong tunnel the tram, the city bus service, the water pipeline from Phangnga, the cable car, etc. etc., awaiting action beyond just consultancy fees.

 

Lots of money to be skimmed from these never-ending studies and consultations.

[billythehat]

5 hours ago, simon43 said:

[quote]

the expressway will have traffic flow of 60,000 vehicles per day,

[/quote]

 

Think about that number for a moment.  That means that every minute of every day, there will be 42 vehicles passing a fixed monitoring point on that road.  In reality, the traffic will be quieter at certain times of the day/night.  But overall, the numbers quoted are IMHO, completely ludicrous!

Sir, I have considered your comments and would note further.

 

“Exat estimates that in the first year of operation, the expressway will have traffic flow of 60,000 vehicles per day, half of them cars and the other half motorcycles. Proposed toll fees are: Bt15 for motorcycles, Bt40 for four-wheel vehicles, Bt85 for six- to 10-wheel vehicles, and Bt125 for vehicles with more than 10 wheels.”

Hmmmm, curious statement, 50% cars 50% motosai? Perhaps cars with more than 10 wheels? Aren’t motsai’s banned from Thai expressways/tunnels anyway?

 

“completely ludicrous” you say. I agree but not as ludicrous as the ‘representational image’. Approximately 2km square of grade separated junctions without the 1.85km tunnel! Ho-hum, I wish I could get paid for coming up with pony like this. Chairing the consultation meeting and pulling the reveal rope to show the image whilst stifling a giggle to an audience gasping in wonder at the brilliance of it all.

 

 

 

 

[bloodyholly]

Should things ever return to something resembling normality????, what will all this traffic do when it clears the tunnel & finally hits the bottleneck of Patong?

[ChipButty]

Meanwhile at the ranch people are starving

[Grumpy one]

12 minutes ago, bloodyholly said:

Should things ever return to something resembling normality????, what will all this traffic do when it clears the tunnel & finally hits the bottleneck of Patong?

That's where the road side food vendors will be, ready to supply their wares to those trapped in never ending lines of traffic

[eezergood]

so about 7.5m a metre - bargain