Bangkok reviews overpass closure plan amid traffic concerns

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Image via Reddit/PunsT3R

 

By Ryan Turner

 

Plans for a one-year closure of the overpass connecting Rama IX Intersection, Asoke-Din Daeng Intersection, and Phang Mueang Intersection, are to be reassessed following concerns about severe traffic congestion.

 

The Metropolitan Police Bureau advised avoiding the roads in the Din Daeng and Huai Khwang districts due to scheduled repairs from tomorrow, November 30. However, the planned closure has sparked significant criticism from road users.

 

Reports indicate that yesterday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), through the Department of Public Works, started to reconsider the traffic closure plan during the renovation of the aforementioned intersections. The decision to review the plan comes amidst ongoing road improvement projects in these heavily congested areas.

 

The BMA is currently working on the project to overhaul the overpass at the Rama IX, Asoke-Din Daeng, and Phang Mueang intersections. The Department of Public Works has sought the cooperation of the Metropolitan Police Bureau to facilitate traffic management.

 

A meeting was held on November 14, where it was agreed to close the road starting from December 1. The plan includes continuous 24-hour closures of certain sections as needed, and a full closure of the overpass once the repairs at Khlong Tan Intersection are completed, expected by June 1, 2025.

 

 

The traffic closure is planned in phases, starting with the inbound lanes, followed by the outbound lanes, each for six months.

 

The Metropolitan Police Bureau formally notified the Department of Public Works, granting permission to the contractor, IETL Co., Ltd., to carry out activities within the Bangkok area from November 15 to May 15, 2025.

 

The Department of Public Works has evaluated the situation, recognising that traffic in the project area and its surroundings is typically heavy and congested. The department is currently considering methods for renovating the Rama IX overpass that would minimize traffic disruption.

 

With additional road diversions due to the construction of the Orange Line by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), further closure of surface roads and overpasses at Rama IX Intersection would exacerbate traffic congestion significantly, impacting commuters, reported KhaoSod.

 

Source: The Thaiger

-- 2024-11-29