Central Traffic Fiasco

[bearpolar]

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 alt=biggrin.png width=20 height=20>

Im not around so i was mostly wondering how many idiots still parked there. Surprised that none do

[Valentine]

Becoming more of a fiasco today. This morning at 7.30 to 8pm all traffic coming from the south on Chao Fa West were forced to turn right at the Y junction leading to the stadium where of course they all turned left. It was only temporary but I hear on the radio it is happening again. Recently all traffic from the north on to Chao Fa are forced into a single lane & then slowly through the S bend compounding the traffic problem at peak hours.

[Shot]

Thursday morning around 0800, turning left (south) off the little road that runs behind Home Works, I waited about 22 minutes. I did manage to get 3 stars at Angry Birds Star Wars, level J-5.

[Shot]

Today about 1500.

[Old Croc]

Do we need a new thread for the underpass they are just starting at Tesco Lotus corner?

[LivinginKata]

Do we need a new thread for the underpass they are just starting at Tesco Lotus corner?

More or less the same traffic jam.

[Old Croc]

Do we need a new thread for the underpass they are just starting at Tesco Lotus corner?

More or less the same traffic jam.

Just longer.

[stevenl]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

[LivinginKata]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

That might be your opinion stevenl, but it's not my opinion. For me it's a fiasco and an annoying delay. So much that I go out of my way to avoid that area when possible.

[stevenl]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

That might be your opinion stevenl, but it's not my opinion. For me it's a fiasco and an annoying delay. So much that I go out of my way to avoid that area when possible.

I have never had to wait there more than 15 minutes at peak times, and quite often just the normal 5 minutes or so.

If that is a fiasco life is full of them.

[Valentine]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

That might be your opinion stevenl, but it's not my opinion. For me it's a fiasco and an annoying delay. So much that I go out of my way to avoid that area when possible.

I have never had to wait there more than 15 minutes at peak times, and quite often just the normal 5 minutes or so.

If that is a fiasco life is full of them.

Fiasco IMO. No forward planning in terms of widening the side of the road or cutting out the islands (which is whatt they are doing at the Tesco intersection right now so they did learn something). closing off the lanes to do work during peak hour thus forcing all the traffic from Chao Fa to turn right towards the stadium & then left back to the lights (work that could have been done during the night time), the so called alternate routes are not really any good during peak times. Something about piss up in a brewery springs to mind.

[LivinginKata]

I guess I have been unlucky, takes me at least 20 minutes to clear the Central lights.

[Phronesis]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

Really...Do you actually live on Phuket?

[stevenl]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

Really...Do you actually live on Phuket?

A big project on a busy intersection, so delays are inevitable. And sure, maybe they did not do things as effectively as they could have been done, but all in all: delays are not too bad, the project will be finished about 1/2 year before its scheduled date and the quality of the work seems to be (at least according to people who know these kind of projects looking in from the outside) good.

So yes, I stand by my comment.

[stevenl]

I guess I have been unlucky, takes me at least 20 minutes to clear the Central lights.

I have been there recently quite a few times, and even at e.g. 07.30-07.45, coming from Lotus, it takes no more than 5 minutes. Other way I am normally very early, so no traffic at all, and if later at a busy time, normally around 10 minutes, max. 15. Not nice but not really bad as well.

Just like you I try to avoid it, but it really is IMO not as bad as feared, and a 'fiasco' it is IMO certainly not.

[LivinginKata]

An inflammatory post (image) removed, plus the reply.

[schlog]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

That might be your opinion stevenl, but it's not my opinion. For me it's a fiasco and an annoying delay. So much that I go out of my way to avoid that area when possible.

I have never had to wait there more than 15 minutes at peak times, and quite often just the normal 5 minutes or so.

If that is a fiasco life is full of them.

try it with a car not bike. around 18.00-19.00 or between 07.30-8.30......

[KarenBravo]

As I bike rider, I'll miss it when it's finished.

Now, it slows all the cars down and the feeling of schadenfreude as I zip by on the left is exquisite.

[stevenl]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

That might be your opinion stevenl, but it's not my opinion. For me it's a fiasco and an annoying delay. So much that I go out of my way to avoid that area when possible.

I have never had to wait there more than 15 minutes at peak times, and quite often just the normal 5 minutes or so.

If that is a fiasco life is full of them.

try it with a car not bike. around 18.00-19.00 or between 07.30-8.30......

If I'm there I'm 99% of the time with the car. And as far as I know 07.30-07.45 hours is between 07.30 and 08.30 hours.

[phuketsub]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

The current traffic woes in the construction area are just the appetizer, the true nature of the fiasco will only reveal itself when this ill-conceived project is completed...with little or no improvement to the overall traffic flow. As soon as they cut the ribbon, the narrow stretch of Chao Fa West southbound just south of the project will become the worst bottleneck on the island, and it will back up all the way to, and into, the underpass.

So sad that Phuket just follows Bangkok trends: huge billboards, 3D-traffic jams, etc...too bad they couldn't have the same level of public transport as the capital.

[Valentine]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

The current traffic woes in the construction area are just the appetizer, the true nature of the fiasco will only reveal itself when this ill-conceived project is completed...with little or no improvement to the overall traffic flow. As soon as they cut the ribbon, the narrow stretch of Chao Fa West southbound just south of the project will become the worst bottleneck on the island, and it will back up all the way to, and into, the underpass.

So sad that Phuket just follows Bangkok trends: huge billboards, 3D-traffic jams, etc...too bad they couldn't have the same level of public transport as the capital.

Totally agree. I have been saying this for a long time. The narrow stretch running past Promphan, the daily push & shove around Kajonkiet which is worse because of all the extra cars coming out of the Kathu/Chao Fa "shortcut" having to make the U turn, all contribute to the fact that traffic is virtually stopped not long after the Central intersection.

[madmitch]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

Really...Do you actually live on Phuket?

A big project on a busy intersection, so delays are inevitable. And sure, maybe they did not do things as effectively as they could have been done, but all in all: delays are not too bad, the project will be finished about 1/2 year before its scheduled date and the quality of the work seems to be (at least according to people who know these kind of projects looking in from the outside) good.

So yes, I stand by my comment.

The project is not going to be finished half a year ahead of schedule.

The underpass itself is due to open early next year but the lanes currently open will then be closed for further work. That is all part of the overall project.

Jams looked pretty bad northbound around midday today, by the way.

[Valentine]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

Really...Do you actually live on Phuket?

A big project on a busy intersection, so delays are inevitable. And sure, maybe they did not do things as effectively as they could have been done, but all in all: delays are not too bad, the project will be finished about 1/2 year before its scheduled date and the quality of the work seems to be (at least according to people who know these kind of projects looking in from the outside) good.

So yes, I stand by my comment.

The project is not going to be finished half a year ahead of schedule.

The underpass itself is due to open early next year but the lanes currently open will then be closed for further work. That is all part of the overall project.

Jams looked pretty bad northbound around midday today, by the way.

What I find quite astonishing is after all the money which will be spent, the incessant delays & inconvenience, there are only going to be 3 lanes in the underpass.

[NamKangMan]

All in all the title of the thread has proved to be incorrect. It really has not been the fiasco some people expected. Sure there have been delays on occasion, but it really has not been very bad.

The current traffic woes in the construction area are just the appetizer, the true nature of the fiasco will only reveal itself when this ill-conceived project is completed...with little or no improvement to the overall traffic flow. As soon as they cut the ribbon, the narrow stretch of Chao Fa West southbound just south of the project will become the worst bottleneck on the island, and it will back up all the way to, and into, the underpass.

So sad that Phuket just follows Bangkok trends: huge billboards, 3D-traffic jams, etc...too bad they couldn't have the same level of public transport as the capital.

"the narrow stretch of Chao Fa West southbound just south of the project will become the worst bottleneck on the island" - that will be the next "project" to siphon off funds from. :)

[andreandre]

Jams looked pretty bad northbound around midday today, by the way.

What I find quite astonishing is after all the money which will be spent, the incessant delays & inconvenience, there are only going to be 3 lanes in the underpass.

Always was promoted as only 3 lanes....as you say..astonishing! See pic..

But it gets better..if you can understand this from Phuket News a while ago.;Sounds like mayhem IMO

When the underpass is complete, the existing surface lanes will be resurfaced to get rid of the many potholes and dips the construction work has caused.

The underpass will initially only be open to northbound traffic, while the two existing northbound traffic lanes on the Central Festival side are closed and resurfaced.

Once the resurfacing of the northbound lanes is complete, the two southbound lanes will be closed on the HomeWorks side and also resurfaced, and the underpass will be switched to southbound traffic only.

Once all the lanes have been resurfaced, the surface lanes and the underpass will be opened.

“In the morning, the traffic is usually jammed heading south, so we will open two lanes of the underpass for the southbound traffic, and one for northbound traffic,” said Itthiwat Kritsanawanich, an engineer from the Bureau of Bridge Construction, Department of Highways.

“In the evening, the traffic is usually busy heading north, so we will open two lanes for the northbound traffic, and one for the southbound.”

This will be a permanent arrangement, and there will be traffic lights to indicate when traffic can go, and which side people need to drive on.

When the underpass is complete, there will be no exits. Once motorists are on the underpass, they will have to wait until the exit before they can make a turn.

Attached Thumbnails

[andreandre]

l wonder what the feasibility studies showed re the benefits of this 600mill was going to achieve.[apart from the obvious padding of a few select wallets]

looking at what is available to review all i can see is this;

If you are travelling northbound in the mornings you will have only one lane available whilst in the underpass section

If you are travelling southbound in the afternoon you will also have only one lane available

I can only see problems here as the 2/3 lanes of north/southbound traffic suddenly have to compress to only one lane[two in the "high use times" ]to transit the underpass section ,if not immediately, then over time as the traffic flow naturally increases this bottleneck is going to become one huge problem

Obviously not all N/S traffic is going straight through and a certain amount will take the left turn slip [the original road] to exit the highway,but the whole design concept is flawed IMO

If there is an accident in this underpass i figure all traffic will come to a long stop both directions..access for EMS will be difficult/impossible once the traffic has built up on both sides of the accident as there is no other access [When the underpass is complete, there will be no exits. Once motorists are on the underpass, they will have to wait until the exit before they can make a turn.]

If you are east or westbound things aren't going to change much, you still have traffic lights for right turning traffic in both directions so straight through traffic can cross.

If you are coming from east or west and want to left turn, basically the same as before , a slip lane to join the north/south highway..easy

A lot of money spent to achieve not much..north/southbound can benefit if all is flowing well, east/west may have a little less time waiting at red lights because N/S highway traffic is underpassed, but you still have traffic lights to control eg traffic coming from the south that wants to stop in at central or shops immediately north of central...and the same will apply coming from the North wanting to access somewhere after the intersection....

IMO it will achieve very little to benefit traffic woes and may in fact only increase them..

Edited September 7, 2013 by andreandre

[KarenBravo]

I still want to know how they are going to pump out the water from one of those three-days of continuous rain that you get at least once a year.

[andreandre]

I still want to know how they are going to pump out the water from one of those three-days of continuous rain that you get at least once a year.

There is no doubt that flooding can and does occur in underpasses , but modern high capacity sump pumps and normally good drainage system is all part of the underpass operating process.[No doubt that the integrity of these pumps will be questionable due to the usual " money diversion to wallets" and not to quality equipment tho]

This one in particular will benefit from the fact that the length of the underpass seems to fall a lot to the south...drainage is there.

The only true test will be when the 3 days rain comes....not putting my money on success..

[glassdude007]

surely they have engineered some sort of sewerage and drainage system, same as most tunnels around the world...

[andreandre]

surely they have engineered some sort of sewerage and drainage system, same as most tunnels around the world...

I realise a lot of locals do stop and pee in the drains, but AFAIK there are no real toilets to be installed , so why would they engineer any sort of sewerage system in this tunnel underpass road?

As for drainage? for sure..as i posted info above...