Central Traffic Fiasco

[pagallim]

I'll be towing my boat from Chalong to Boat Lagoon tomorrow (Sunday) morning, which hopefully will prove to be uneventful. Plan is to be past Central before 8 a.m. when it should be fairly quiet.

[Shot]

Heads up. There is a big dealio at the stadium tomorrow. It starts early (about 8ish me thinks) with a parade in that area.

[stevenl]

Just returned from the airport, no delays anywhere. Even at the Central intersection no wait, except for the light being red.

[pagallim]

I went through, towing my boat, around 7.30 this morning, and whilst it was busier than I expected, no problems at all. There did seem to be quite a bit of activity going on, or at least delivery of materials.

[Felt 35]

I think it’s been five refreshing days and following my better half most of the local working Thais have had and still have a long weekend out of Phuket. Wish the one we not can talk about had birthday celebrations every week!

[noob7]

i just got back from central and it wasn't that bad, and yes, the circle was bad going north. they really need to have police directing traffic there all the time.

Is this a serious idea or a joke?

When the police control the traffic at Chalong Circle the traffic backs up further than when they are not there. Roundabouts are not designed to let one lane through at a time, hence the disastrous traffic lights lasting only one day.

I honestly believe that with one or two exceptions, such as near schools, police directing traffic and controlling traffic lights manually is a total waste of resource.

There again, I suppose it takes them away from the extortion business for a few hours a day.

serious, i've been across chalong circle 100s of times (maybe thousands) and i think the police directing traffic helps. yes, the lines can back up but they clear pretty quick when the police open up a path. better than a free for all where no one moves anywhere.

also, police manually controlling lights would help a lot on the main intersections near town. they can switch the lights when the side sois don't have enough cars and give more time to the main roads.

They have been manually controlling the lights for years during peak hours.

As you said, the lights!

More funny is only the circle in Chalong. With 2km tails down to Rawai, sometimes, at weekends, as soon the officers 'controlling' the circle.

Still haven't found the spot for a web/videocam, yet!

[Valentine]

Went to the airport & back from Chalong yesterday (did not have to go through the circle as I am after it) at 5 to 7.30pm with actual drive time 45 minutes each way. Doing it during the school run would be a better test. However, I have said this before, the underpass is not going to make any difference to those on Chao Fa West as the problem is & has been for a while the stretch running from the Y junction near Central all the way to the traffic lights just past Promphan. Whoever is in charge of Phuket's roads is in serious dereliction of duty if they have not already been buying up the land along that stretch in order to widen it or even if they have a plan to do so. Gross mismanagement if this is not being addressed already.

[steelepulse]

Went to the airport & back from Chalong yesterday (did not have to go through the circle as I am after it) at 5 to 7.30pm with actual drive time 45 minutes each way. Doing it during the school run would be a better test. However, I have said this before, the underpass is not going to make any difference to those on Chao Fa West as the problem is & has been for a while the stretch running from the Y junction near Central all the way to the traffic lights just past Promphan. Whoever is in charge of Phuket's roads is in serious dereliction of duty if they have not already been buying up the land along that stretch in order to widen it or even if they have a plan to do so. Gross mismanagement if this is not being addressed already.

Middle day of a 3 day weekend will have lighter traffic. As far as the gov't buying land to expand the road, I don't see it. As far as I know there is no imminent domain ( as witnessed by many glaring problems we are all aware of) and no empty land that can be used unless buildings are knocked down.

[Valentine]

Went to the airport & back from Chalong yesterday (did not have to go through the circle as I am after it) at 5 to 7.30pm with actual drive time 45 minutes each way. Doing it during the school run would be a better test. However, I have said this before, the underpass is not going to make any difference to those on Chao Fa West as the problem is & has been for a while the stretch running from the Y junction near Central all the way to the traffic lights just past Promphan. Whoever is in charge of Phuket's roads is in serious dereliction of duty if they have not already been buying up the land along that stretch in order to widen it or even if they have a plan to do so. Gross mismanagement if this is not being addressed already.

Middle day of a 3 day weekend will have lighter traffic. As far as the gov't buying land to expand the road, I don't see it. As far as I know there is no imminent domain ( as witnessed by many glaring problems we are all aware of) and no empty land that can be used unless buildings are knocked down.

It took a while buy they did it in Thalang & Bangkok Rd. According to the law there is a certain amount of land either side of a road which is supposed to belong to the state or crown which it makes it possible that much of the land along Chao Fa has been encroached upon. However, we all know that does not mean jack s..,t such as the debacle with the tanks on Wichit Rd or the turnoff at the lights near Promphan.

[Somtamnication]

Any land in front of the electric poles are govt land. Those do get encroached upon, but it is enough to fit another lane or a turning lane.

[Jimi007]

I got home to Rawai from the airport about 5:20 PM and it wasn't that bad going south. As others said, going north back through Chalong was a nightmare. Way beyond Tesco. Kinda felt sorry for my taxi driver, but he got an extra hundred Baht as the meter taxis won't use their meter, if they even worked and upped the rate a bit since everyone else was doing it... In my case it was only a 100 Baht more than the same 500 Baht I had been paying for years.

Edited December 11, 2012 by Jimi007

[pagallim]

Picked up a buddy at the airport last night, left home around 8.30 p.m. (Chalong, north of circle), 45 minutes easy drive to airport, same coming back. I think anywhere outside of the main rush hour/school run periods are going to be pretty much the same as normal (if 'normal' can be used in this context). Chalong Circle must be much more of a delaying bottleneck, as are the sets of lights north and south of Phrompan.

[hansgruber]

Picked up a buddy at the airport last night, left home around 8.30 p.m. (Chalong, north of circle), 45 minutes easy drive to airport, same coming back. I think anywhere outside of the main rush hour/school run periods are going to be pretty much the same as normal (if 'normal' can be used in this context). Chalong Circle must be much more of a delaying bottleneck, as are the sets of lights north and south of Phrompan.

Its due to stopping people parking on the main road outside central.

If only they did that a decade ago.

I think the circle has become worse than the central intersection.

Tailbacks are longer and the slow crawl drives me nuts. I prefer to stop, wait and then go.

Chalong circle doesn't work anymore.

[noob7]

Picked up a buddy at the airport last night, left home around 8.30 p.m. (Chalong, north of circle), 45 minutes easy drive to airport, same coming back. I think anywhere outside of the main rush hour/school run periods are going to be pretty much the same as normal (if 'normal' can be used in this context). Chalong Circle must be much more of a delaying bottleneck, as are the sets of lights north and south of Phrompan.

Wait, till they start digging in the junction!

I'm, still wondering, why no one of the people in charge is thinking about closing the 3. lane on the right, up to the U-turn!

Every time, I drive there, the one and the other Minibus or Taxi is using the 'turn right' lane, to cross the junction. No one needs to use the 3. lane, there.

You don't want, they driving wrong? Don't give them the option, to do so.

Btw, and b/c I understand the topic more central = at Phuket, not limited to 'in front of Central' :

Why is still a red light in the left lane southbound, at the traffic light in Rawai?

They separated the lanes with this lovely kind of pylons, but continue, to stop that lane?

Anyone thought that through/will think that through?

Edited December 12, 2012 by noob7

[stevenl]

I'm, still wondering, why no one of the people in charge is thinking about closing the 3. lane on the right, up to the U-turn!

Every time, I drive there, the one and the other Minibus or Taxi is using the 'turn right' lane, to cross the junction. No one needs to use the 3. lane, there.

Why is still a red light in the left lane southbound, at the traffic light in Rawai?

They separated the lanes with this lovely kind of pylons, but continue, to stop that lane?

Anyone thought that through/will think that through?

Some people turn right there, so they can't close that lane. Unless you want them to turn from the second lane.

I presume that one of these days they'll switch of the traffic lights at Sai Yuan/Viset, for the moment I just don't stop (unless I have to like yesterday, when somebody actually did stop there for the red light).

[steelepulse]

I noticed a small sign in Thai as I drove through the intersection with an arrow pointing straight ahead. It appeared to be a "left lane doesn't need to stop" sign as now I don't see anyone stopping there,but the sign was too small for me to get a good look at it.

[sanuk21]

Wait, till they start digging in the junction!

I'm, still wondering, why no one of the people in charge is thinking about closing the 3. lane on the right, up to the U-turn!

Every time, I drive there, the one and the other Minibus or Taxi is using the 'turn right' lane, to cross the junction. No one needs to use the 3. lane, there.

You don't want, they driving wrong? Don't give them the option, to do so.

Yes that lane has always been a problem it would better if it was closed on the northern side of the intersection.

Drivers like to jump the queue by using the right turn only lane to cross the lights and then force right of way further up the road where this lane merges left into the centre lane.

This then causes a tailback down south across the lights.

sanuk

[petercallen]

We recently returned from a road trip to northern Thailand , the traffic is a lot worse in all the major towns even on the bypass roads in peak periods some much heavier traffic than Phuket

[schlog]

Yesterday morning 6.45 Phuket Town - Airport 30 min. normal traffic.

Flight time KUL - HKT 75 min.

5.45 pm Airport - Phuket Town 105 min.

Traffic lights not work at central junction and signs change in front of RPM in the cooler rush hour. I only saw one policeman " kae kii muug"

Welcome back to my pirate island.

[Kernow86]

30 mins to get from Tesco Samkong to Central Last night at about 18:30.

What could be causing this delay?

Central traffic lights off and BIB attempting to control the traffic. AWESOME.

[stevenl]

I noticed a small sign in Thai as I drove through the intersection with an arrow pointing straight ahead. It appeared to be a "left lane doesn't need to stop" sign as now I don't see anyone stopping there,but the sign was too small for me to get a good look at it.

Yes, 2 quite big signs are up now, indicating 'straight through no stop'.

[Valentine]

30 mins to get from Tesco Samkong to Central Last night at about 18:30.

What could be causing this delay?

Central traffic lights off and BIB attempting to control the traffic. AWESOME.

It was a shambles around there last night due to a big sports day at the stadium. The angle road running from Chao Fa to the stadium was full of cars & buses double parked plus many cars stopping to pick up their kids outside the stadium. More school sports there today. BTW it is like this every year during sport days.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Valentine

[madmitch]

It is annoying that work appears to be at a standstill. They've got rid of the central reservation on the north side but driving an hour or so ago, there didn't appear to be a single person on the site.

Easy run from the airport to Karon this morning with no major delays anywhere.

Edited December 13, 2012 by madmitch

[noob7]

I'm, still wondering, why no one of the people in charge is thinking about closing the 3. lane on the right, up to the U-turn!

Every time, I drive there, the one and the other Minibus or Taxi is using the 'turn right' lane, to cross the junction. No one needs to use the 3. lane, there.

Some people turn right there, so they can't close that lane. Unless you want them to turn from the second lane.

Turning right? Coming from the traffic light some meters away and turning right? You are a crazy driver, methinks!

This third lane northbound from the junction to the u-turn for the people, coming from Lotus, is usually not needed, anymore, since the decision, to turn the right lane into turn right lanes.That means not, to close the u-turn! Only the road from the junction to the u-turn!

But always you will see people jumping in the junction into them, to squeeze themselves in, again, where these right lane ends.

It's a well known fact, it's better, to 'trouble' the traffic before the lights, not shortly behind.

And the 'I'm coming, I'm coming, you have to let me in' drivers are the second trouble, in this Central Traffic fiasco.

Edited December 13, 2012 by LivinginKata
mod remark removed

[stevenl]

I'm sorry, but I find your post confusing: "This third lane northbound from the junction to the u-turn for the people, coming from Lotus, is usually not needed," From the Central junction northbound is towards Lotus, so it looks like we're talking about different lanes.

Edited December 13, 2012 by stevenl

[noob7]

I'm sorry, but I find your post confusing: "This third lane northbound from the junction to the u-turn for the people, coming from Lotus, is usually not needed," From the Central junction northbound is towards Lotus, so it looks like we're talking about different lanes.

You confusing yourself, 'cause you mentioned, that people using the u-turn.

"This third lane northbound from the junction to the u-turn (for the people, coming from Lotus) is usually not needed,"

Better?

The u-turn is for people coming from Lotus. Not for people, coming from the 'Central Festival intersection'. Or do you u-turn, after crossing that intersection?

We're (minimum I was) 'talking' about closing the 3 lane (the outer right ) that starts in the junction, for the part, before the u-turn (for the people, that come down from Lotus, but wanna go to Central and have to u-turn therefor)

But to make it easier (we all have our burden and difficulties, to live with )

http://goo.gl/maps/gfMjc

In case, you place your mouse on the right side of the picture, 'left click' and hold, you can turn your view to the traffic lights.

That's the u-turn, and the lane, on the right of the google car (after turning your view, the right side of the car is on the left), all the way from the junction to the u-turn, is a traffic risk.

Since the right lane at the junction is usually only a turn right lane. How long is that, 1year?

But for sure now, with the swing into the two left lanes, b/c of the underpass work.

Edited December 13, 2012 by noob7

[steelepulse]

That google map explains it better. As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words .

[stevenl]

That google map explains it better. As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words .

True, this is much better.

[LivinginKata]

Enough of the bickering - 3 posts removed.

[Somtamnication]

Boooooooooooooooring. So we are going to give daily updates? 700+ updates x 20 people until that idiocy is finished?

Once they start the construction and big trucks start hauling cargo, the drivers will adjust and get used to it.

Price of "progress".