Central Traffic Fiasco

[Valentine]

Yesterday after waiting in the queue for several minutes the lights finally turned green but went to red just as I got to the intersection. There was a further 4 minute wait before the green. Same thing happened later coming from the other side. No police on duty & strangely quite a few tourists traversing the intersection on foot.

[stevehaigh]

Second underpass at tesco intersection kicks off in May.

Two sites within a kilometer will worsen it beyond comprehension.

really, great. another reason to stay home

[madmitch]

A new trend has started (or maybe it has been happening for some time and I have only just experienced it).

Cars travelling north are crossing to the wrong side of the central reservation to turn right into the road that leads to the football stadium (no idea of the name). First driver I saw do this about three days ago was a farang in a brown Pajero Sport but he was then followed by a few more cars. I was not happy, as I happened to be in the lane travelling in the right direction and seriously considered just stopping the car and being an awkward sod. Happened again the next day (different cars).

I would assume that that right turn will be stopped when the underpass opens as it would be totally impractical and very dangerous to turn there but.................

[Valentine]

A new trend has started (or maybe it has been happening for some time and I have only just experienced it).

Cars travelling north are crossing to the wrong side of the central reservation to turn right into the road that leads to the football stadium (no idea of the name). First driver I saw do this about three days ago was a farang in a brown Pajero Sport but he was then followed by a few more cars. I was not happy, as I happened to be in the lane travelling in the right direction and seriously considered just stopping the car and being an awkward sod. Happened again the next day (different cars).

I would assume that that right turn will be stopped when the underpass opens as it would be totally impractical and very dangerous to turn there but.................

GF told me police were actually directing cars that way last week when she did the school run in the morning. I see it quite often myself. Just another way of queue jumping. Must admit have not thought about how they will handle the right turn to the stadium when the underpass opens. I wonder if the authorities have although probably not as that requires a pro active thinking approach which is not a strong point here.

[LivinginKata]

We don't need troll posts here. 2 posts removed.

[stevenl]

A new trend has started (or maybe it has been happening for some time and I have only just experienced it).

Cars travelling north are crossing to the wrong side of the central reservation to turn right into the road that leads to the football stadium (no idea of the name). First driver I saw do this about three days ago was a farang in a brown Pajero Sport but he was then followed by a few more cars. I was not happy, as I happened to be in the lane travelling in the right direction and seriously considered just stopping the car and being an awkward sod. Happened again the next day (different cars).

I would assume that that right turn will be stopped when the underpass opens as it would be totally impractical and very dangerous to turn there but.................

Yes, noticed the same already a few weeks ago. These days I simply calculate 15 minutes extra for the intersection, and so far it has not taken me more than 10. So I'll sit it out.

[Phronesis]

Well only a few more sleeps until the underpass is finished. I rode past their the last few day and see that they now have some ancient drag lines wallowing in the mud. I am curious to see what machinery they will bring in to attempt the tunneling that is required. Or maybe they will use Burmese...

[andreandre]

Well only a few more sleeps until the underpass is finished. I rode past their the last few day and see that they now have some ancient drag lines wallowing in the mud. I am curious to see what machinery they will bring in to attempt the tunneling that is required. Or maybe they will use Burmese...

AKAIK no tunneling is required....its an underpass only..ie a big dip in the road going one way eg; north/south and a supported road crossing it at right angles for cross traffic.east/west..or vica-versa...I'm not sure which way this one is designed to go, but thats the basics of an underpass.

[Shot]

Was the official start date last October? Or about that? If so, that would put them at around 30% of the allotted 24 months. Are they 30% complete at this time?

[Cylon]

I travel through there everyday.traffic was backed to Tesco,2 policeman were sitting in the control box watching TV.Crazy.The next day there was 1 policeman on points duty,He had no backlog more than normal at those lights.what a relief.Next day no one.

[hansgruber]

New underpass at Tesco intersection is about to start. It will just cripple the bypass rd.

Not looking forward to it at all.

[andreandre]

Getting to Phuket city and surrounds from Patong is going to be an even bigger nightmare,because the genius's [genii?] who make these decisions are shortly going to once again try to alleviate the road slip problem on the way up to the Kathu temple.

Apparently one lane closed for up to 5 months.[reality 12 months]....Once you've fought your way up and over, you then have the choice at Kathu to go straight ahead and face the "Tesco" works, or turn right and face the Central works......Immagine the high season chaos???

[stevehaigh]

New underpass at Tesco intersection is about to start. It will just cripple the bypass rd.

Not looking forward to it at all.

it will be interesting to see if that's true. since traffic is already slowed at central, it may not make a lot of difference. it will just move the southbound holdup north a bit but presumably reduce the central holdup because of less cars making it though from tesco. maybe total travel time will stay about the same

[grumpyoldman]

Well, time to get out of the car and on a scooter.......

[Valentine]

Getting to Phuket city and surrounds from Patong is going to be an even bigger nightmare,because the genius's [genii?] who make these decisions are shortly going to once again try to alleviate the road slip problem on the way up to the Kathu temple.

Apparently one lane closed for up to 5 months.[reality 12 months]....Once you've fought your way up and over, you then have the choice at Kathu to go straight ahead and face the "Tesco" works, or turn right and face the Central works......Immagine the high season chaos???

Can turn left & go behind the golf course out to Thepkasatri if heading to Thalang or airport.

[andreandre]

Getting to Phuket city and surrounds from Patong is going to be an even bigger nightmare,because the genius's [genii?] who make these decisions are shortly going to once again try to alleviate the road slip problem on the way up to the Kathu temple.

Apparently one lane closed for up to 5 months.[reality 12 months]....Once you've fought your way up and over, you then have the choice at Kathu to go straight ahead and face the "Tesco" works, or turn right and face the Central works......Immagine the high season chaos???

Can turn left & go behind the golf course out to Thepkasatri if heading to Thalang or airport.

Yes you can but in my case i'm not going north, i need to see a friend in Phuket City itself, so its doable, but adds a lot of time/effort to a previously simple journey.

[Felt 35]

The worst thing with all this road works is that when car and motorbikes first get out on part of Bypass and Thepkasatri road where its less congestion most act with their vehicles as cows and calfes do when let out in the spring after a long winter indoors.

[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.

[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.

What tunnel?

[starkey_rich]

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.

Maybe open but will it be completed or completed Thai style.Half a job

[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.

Maybe open but will it be completed or completed Thai style.Half a job

Phronesis..is showing a distinct lack of knowledge about the whole project and now starkey-rich is on the usual ''Thai style" job...[which there is usually no denying] but this project is by the same company [ Italian-Thai Development] who built the new Sarasin bridge and did a really good job on it.This is not some local village project, but built by one of T/lands notable construction companies and as such i would say every single point put up by phronesis is totally wrong.

Italian-Thai Development (Italthai) builds some of the largest infrastructure and civil projects in Thailand and across Asia. Its project portfolio includes work on Thailand's rail system, Bangkok's mass transit development plan, and deep-sea port developments at Pak Bara and Pattani ports. The company has branched out across Asia, specializing in industrial, utility, transportation, and telecommunications projects. Italthai has also invested in energy and mining projects. Chaijudh Karnasuta (from Thailand) and Giorgio Berlingieri (from Italy) co-founded the company in 1958.

[Felt 35]

This will all be fine.... we can drive faster, we get more rough accidents and halfway to Chalong, Tesco or Surakul its full stop again.

[Shot]

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.

I can agree that the traffic/wait is not as bad as thought. I honestly think the traffic police are doing a good job. About a hundred posts back, I vowed to avoid the area like the plague. But, life changes, and it sends me there twice a day. Based on bi-daily observations, I can’t see the project being completed on time. I mostly see 3-4 guys eating noodles and avoiding work.

[madmitch]

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.

[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.

[NamKangMan]

I've posted it before - and been criticized many times for posting it.

The traffic situation will only get worse here, not any better - the simple, yet complex reason is, there is NO proper, and affordable, public transport here.

Some posts have offered solutions to the traffic problems here, but the simple fact is, whilst there is no public transport here - there really is no solution.

Most will continue to ride motorbikes, and some will drive cars - with most, many times, being intoxicated.

They can build bypasses, tunnels, freeways, highways etc etc - they will all be traffic laden until the transport issue is addressed on this island. On this island - not Thailand - on this island.

In my opinion,even if new roads were to decrease travel times, there's a fair chance that's because travel speeds on the road will increase, thus making it even more dangerous here.

It's an absolute debarcle.

[madmitch]

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.

Why are some people so annoyingly pedantic?

[Phronesis]

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.

[andreandre]

^^^ madmitch^^^

Edited June 4, 2013 by andreandre

[KarenBravo]

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.

Edited June 5, 2013 by KarenBravo