New Phuket detour to ease congestion at underpass construction site

[webfact]

New Phuket detour to ease congestion at underpass construction site
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Officials this week inspected the site of a new two-lane detour that will allow travellers between Patong and Chalong to bypass the Darasmuth Intersection in front of Central Festival, relieving congestion.

The detour is in response to traffic jams at the intersection caused by the construction of the Darasmuth underpass (story here), said Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasipa.

One end of the detour will be located half way between Makro and Central Festival on Vichit Songkram Road near the Soi Bang Yai turnoff to Big C.

The other end will be about 300 meters south of the Darasmuth Intersection off Chao Fa West Road near Soi Na Sua.

“The detour will be two lanes and 1.25km long. It should take about 150 days to complete,” said Teeraporn Jirarattanakorn, Director of the Department of Rural Roads Phuket office.

“We already have approval from the Department of Rural Roads for the 9.8million baht budget,” said Teeraporn Jirarattanakorn, Director of the Department of Rural Roads Phuket office.

“As soon as they distribute the money, we’ll begin construction,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/New-Phuket-detour-to-ease-congestion-at-underpass-construction-site-21475.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-06-28

[lee b]

lets see the progress after 150 days

[bangarang]

Wouldn't the underpass be near completion by the time the 150days is over to open up the detour? I already take the shortcut road that goes behind Index, Hospital, Big C on my way to Central to avoid sitting in traffic. This seems like something they should have started or thought about before beginning the construction in the first place.

Either way its always good to have more roads and shortcuts to cut through the island though.

[andreandre]

Wouldn't the underpass be near completion by the time the 150days is over to open up the detour? I already take the shortcut road that goes behind Index, Hospital, Big C on my way to Central to avoid sitting in traffic. This seems like something they should have started or thought about before beginning the construction in the first place.

Either way its always good to have more roads and shortcuts to cut through the island though.

Agree..the underpass is meant to open early next year, a few months after the detour is opened...strange, but not uncommon to be reactive, not proactive.....could have had this detour open about the same time as the major underpass works started...maybe a hint of delays ahead?

As you say ,also good to have shortcuts available if/when needed in the future.

[JetsetBkk]

Seems a good idea, especially if they're going to put traffic lights at the Bang Yai junction, and paint it with yellow cross-hatched markings, and put cones in the road to define the lanes, and put a policeman on duty to stop the me-first drivers from blocking the junction.

Might just possibly work then.

[IrishIvan]

Just do what everyone else does and go through the prince of Songkla university