Central Traffic Fiasco

[stevenl]

Alright.

I have watched this project closely over the last few months. This is my new call.

The tunnel will NEVER be completed:

• Missapropriation of project funds
• Inability to solve water ingress problems within the tunnel
• Wet season flooding
• Collapse
• Unsafe for use due to poor cement and structural integrity

The end result will be a large and rather embrassing fish pond.

So far it looks like you are wrong. Even stronger, the forecast is the tunnel will be opened way before the planned completion date.

Was there today at 08.00 coming from the North, could drive all the way through to the lights with only about 10 cars in front of me.

Nice try....but It will take years before you can claim that I am wrong. Read the last four of my bullet points. None of them are checked off the day the first car runs through the underpass.

I don't need to prove anybody wrong, which you are of course.

I just find it ridiculous that people think they can tell what is happening with this project simply by driving past, even if driving past 2 times per day. Even a civil engineer with plenty of experience in similar projects could not do that, but TV readers can without any problems. Nice example of the almighty westerners telling the ignorant Thai how to do things without knowing what they are talking about.

[andreandre]

Alright.

I have watched this project closely over the last few months. This is my new call.

The tunnel will NEVER be completed:

• Missapropriation of project funds
• Inability to solve water ingress problems within the tunnel
• Wet season flooding
• Collapse
• Unsafe for use due to poor cement and structural integrity

The end result will be a large and rather embrassing fish pond.

So far it looks like you are wrong. Even stronger, the forecast is the tunnel will be opened way before the planned completion date.

Was there today at 08.00 coming from the North, could drive all the way through to the lights with only about 10 cars in front of me.

The tunnel might be opened earlier than we expected but the project is not completed at that point as they will be closing the roads around it to complete the work in stages. The two years is for the entire underpass project, not just the tunnel.

The only planned tunnel is through the hill under/near Kathu and wont even start before 2014 last time i heard.

So.....how does the underpass pass the Patong to Phuket Town road?

Flyover? No. With a tunnel? Yes.

The answer to your second question is found in your first....u-n-d-e-r-p-a-s-s.......as opposed to an overpass[flyover] or a tunnel.

I was in the civil construction industry some 25 years and to us when a tunnel is constructed it is '' defined as underground passages driven through the ground without disturbing the overlying soil or rock using blasting or nowadays more common a TBM [tunnel boring machine] and shoring up with a concrete layer for stability''...That is the industry definition of a tunnel.

Relate to the proposed ''tunnel'' which is planned under Kathu hill.....It really is a tunnel, using a TBM to construct...

.

An underpass is simply a road excavated to a depth suitable for the passage of [usually vehicals ]to continue on under the cross road [similar to a bridge construction] to be built over it..ie doing away with a same level intersection for hopefully unimpeded cross traffic flow [as is the case here.]

In reality it is exactly the same function as an overpass, but in some circumstances an underpass is preferable to an overpass and vica-versa.

Talking to some people just now about this and OK i can see the layman calling an underpass a tunnel ...so we can agree to disagree on the terminology

[Phronesis]

Those sprouting the abilities of Italthai...take a road trip up to Nathai and have a look at the pier built by them a few years back. It is currently under repair as several sections have fallen into the sea.

[andreandre]

Those sprouting the abilities of Italthai...take a road trip up to Nathai and have a look at the pier built by them a few years back. It is currently under repair as several sections have fallen into the sea.

Haven't seen any evidence of sprouting of the outfit, and i've no knowledge of their operations at all apart from what i posted earlier, but one thing is for sure

For any construction company to be in operation more than 50 years has to point to them being rather successful, wouldn't you think?

http://www.tunneltalk.com/TBM-Recorder-Sep12-Terratec-TBM-for-Bangkok-Blue-Line-Extension.php

Edited June 5, 2013 by andreandre

[LivinginKata]

Previous 2 posts removed. Enough of the bickering.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Making good progress now. Maybe completed in July

[stevenl]

Today busier at the intersection. Around 14.30 hours about 10 minutes going North, and on return going South at 16.00 hours the normal speed, could drive straight through to the lights.

[madmitch]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

[Shot]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

I try, but there are usually about 900 motorbikes around me.

[Peterocket]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

I try, but there are usually about 900 motorbikes around me.

The lights are being left green/red for 200 seconds according to the countdown yesterday. Reckon i waited about 10-15 minutes total to travel through the intersection, no fiasco about it in my opinion.

[bearpolar]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

yes. Since i went back to visit my country i always get the shits when a drivers turns from a side street into my lane when im really close.. then they catch up to the speed limit quickly and i dont have to break.

Even after a few months im always <deleted>'ing at people not taking 20km to get to 55kph

[andreandre]

Relating to madmitches comment in F1 thread joking this underpass being a great part of F1 circuit..

Hypothetically ......if F1 could use this road never happen, but?

Here are some guestimates [and fairly close at that]

I figure the tunnel at Monte Carlo to be about 400-500 metres long and the F1 cars go through it in about 4-5 seconds secs..

Apply this to the Central underpass

A F1 car will go through this one at the same speed as above will take about 4/10-5/10 second..[blink and you miss it} Edit..based on a very doable 300kph on this straight part of the hyperthetical track....

I'm hoping those of you who don't agree with this will be intelligent enough to prove me wrong [or right] I will unreservably appologise and correct this guestimate if i got it wrong.

Sorry ,but it interests me...

Edited June 9, 2013 by andreandre

[MacChine]

^ You need to factor in they'll have to slow down for the taxi stand and coffee maker.

The scooters are why traffic doesn't get through lights , give them their own lane , please as I wish to run them over.

If not F-1 then how about Phuket Scooter Derby, a death match- hyped type of event.

Run what ya' brung.

That clear out the poor driver gene pool

So traffic is bad in the morning through here heading to Rawai?? If I wait until 9 is it better or later?

Edited June 9, 2013 by MacChine

[MacChine]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

yes. Since i went back to visit my country i always get the shits when a drivers turns from a side street into my lane when im really close.. then they catch up to the speed limit quickly and i dont have to break.

Even after a few months im always <deleted>'ing at people not taking 20km to get to 55kph

I have a suspicion they only do this to farang, who'll not hit them unlike their compatriots, who will

[stevenl]

^ You need to factor in they'll have to slow down for the taxi stand and coffee maker.

The scooters are why traffic doesn't get through lights , give them their own lane , please as I wish to run them over.

If not F-1 then how about Phuket Scooter Derby, a death match- hyped type of event.

Run what ya' brung.

That clear out the poor driver gene pool

So traffic is bad in the morning through here heading to Rawai?? If I wait until 9 is it better or later?

No, it is not. Have done it a few times last week around 08.00, and could every time drive straight through to the lights.

[Guest]

Relating to madmitches comment in F1 thread joking this underpass being a great part of F1 circuit..

Hypothetically ......if F1 could use this road never happen, but?

Here are some guestimates [and fairly close at that]

I figure the tunnel at Monte Carlo to be about 400-500 metres long and the F1 cars go through it in about 4-5 seconds secs..

That would be 100m/s eg 360km/h. The F1 cars don't drive that fast in the high down force circuit like Monaco (and they are not allowed to use DRS on that spot). 70 meters per second would be closer to the real speed

[andreandre]

Relating to madmitches comment in F1 thread joking this underpass being a great part of F1 circuit..

Hypothetically ......if F1 could use this road never happen, but?

Here are some guestimates [and fairly close at that]

I figure the tunnel at Monte Carlo to be about 400-500 metres long and the F1 cars go through it in about 4-5 seconds secs..

That would be 100m/s eg 360km/h. The F1 cars don't drive that fast in the high down force circuit like Monaco (and they are not allowed to use DRS on that spot). 70 meters per second would be closer to the real speed

Ok.thanks...minor point,... was more about the time through Central ''tunnel''....i watched the time on video replay and was about 4-5 seconds.and a guestimation of length of tunnel at Monte off a diagram gave me ''about 4-500 meters....[cant find any info on the actual length of it]..OK , say 250kph[70 m/sec] makes it about 280-350 meters long...

The point is its still even at 250kph a 4-5 second tunnel.

Our own hyperthetical central tunnel at the same 250kph is still only a 5/10 sec tunnel..blink again and you still miss it...

[Shot]

After all the rain, it might appropriate to post this.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Shot

[JetsetBkk]

18 minutes to get from Big C back road (Bang Yai) to the other side of Central Traffic lights today.

[starkey_rich]

It seems that the police are leaving the lights green for much longer than usual so you might have to wait at the lights longer but you get through from much further back. I have noticed this going south and east over the past few days. And it appears to be working.

Also, is it my imagination or are Thai drivers much slower away from the lights than Western drivers? If I'm at the front I always seem to accelerate much more quickly than anyone else. Maybe it's just me but do others think the same?

Much slower away from the lights.

5 seconds to register the lights are green

5 seconds to engage brain and 2 seconds to put foot on accelerator pedal, oh and if the car is manual it's anyone's guess.

Then they come flying passed you at 120 k to do the same at the next lights.

[Valentine]

Just been there an hour ago & observed when traffic is coming from Central down Chao Fa they have erected a barricade by the Y junction which means all the vehicles have to zig zag around it. First I thought it was a sinkhole but not sure.

Saw a classic yesterday morning during the school run. Big bus going down the wrong side of the island to turn right at the Y junction. Policeman made him pull over & booked him. Must admit I have done it myself a couple of times.

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

Saw a classic yesterday morning during the school run. Big bus going down the wrong side of the island to turn right at the Y junction. Policeman made him pull over & booked him. Must admit I have done it myself a couple of times.

See that every time I drive in that area, which is not often these days.

[JetsetBkk]

Just been there an hour ago & observed when traffic is coming from Central down Chao Fa they have erected a barricade by the Y junction which means all the vehicles have to zig zag around it. First I thought it was a sinkhole but not sure.

Saw a classic yesterday morning during the school run. Big bus going down the wrong side of the island to turn right at the Y junction. Policeman made him pull over & booked him. Must admit I have done it myself a couple of times.

I've done it once but I was just following everyone else...

[Old Croc]

About a week ago the cops had a road block just around the corner on the side street. They were booking all those who went down the wrong side of the island.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I see they replaced the pedestrian overpass between Central Festival and Festival East - pretty quick too.

Looked like it was close to being open the other night.

[bearpolar]

are they giving tickets to people parking in front of central yet?

[stevenl]

are they giving tickets to people parking in front of central yet?

Don't pass by there every day, but have not seen anybody parking there for quite some time now.

[LivinginKata]

are they giving tickets to people parking in front of central yet?

Don't pass by there every day, but have not seen anybody parking there for quite some time now.

Given that road has now been reduced to only 2 lanes, it would take a stupid driver to park there. Oh wait - there are plenty of stupid drivers

[Valentine]

Just been there an hour ago & observed when traffic is coming from Central down Chao Fa they have erected a barricade by the Y junction which means all the vehicles have to zig zag around it. First I thought it was a sinkhole but not sure.

Saw a classic yesterday morning during the school run. Big bus going down the wrong side of the island to turn right at the Y junction. Policeman made him pull over & booked him. Must admit I have done it myself a couple of times.

Must be a sinkhole as it looks like the road has collapsed.

[Shot]

I see they replaced the pedestrian overpass between Central Festival and Festival East - pretty quick too.

Looked like it was close to being open the other night.

That opened today. Still needs some paint.