Phuket: Samkong underpass construction set to begin in November

[webfact]

Samkong underpass construction set to begin in November
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Construction is to start on the 850-million-baht underpass at the Samkong intersection in mid-November.

“We have already started to clear the area in preparation for the construction,” Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad told the Phuket Gazette this week.

“We will start by digging up the median strip on the bypass road north of the Samkong intersection,” he said.

Drivers should be aware of lane changes being made to accommodate the construction, he added.

“On the north and south sides of the intersection, on the bypass road, we will be narrowing the turn lanes next to the median strip by half a meter, from 3.25m to 2.75m,” he said.

One lane on both the north and south sides of the intersection will be closed to traffic for about 500m, but a new lane will be constructed on the outer part of the road to accommodate traffic.

“Occasionally we will need to close sections of lanes temporarily, but these closures shouldn’t be for longer than two hours,” he said.

The company responsible for the construction of the underpass is Italthai Trevi Co, Ltd, operating with a budget of about 850 million baht, Mr Samak said.

“The underpass is expected to be completed in June 2015,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Samkong-underpass-construction-set-to-begin-in-November-22369.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-28

[LivinginKata]

June 2015 - lovely

[hansgruber]

Two in a row. Wow. Watch it all just bottle neck at the end of bypass north and the lights before Phromphan as you head south.

[grumpyoldman]

This is the intersection at the Big Lotus?

Why not flyovers, do we live in the land of mole men?

[eezergood]

Love it!

[LivinginKata]

This is the intersection at the Big Lotus?

Why not flyovers, do we live in the land of mole men?

Yes, the Lotus junction.

You would think that flyovers would be a quicker construction option. Can't comment on the construction price difference. Anyone know why underpasses were chosen ?

[Siriam]

What a horrible situation, really strategic :-(

[SeanPhuket]

This is the intersection at the Big Lotus?

Why not flyovers, do we live in the land of mole men?

Yes, the Lotus junction.

You would think that flyovers would be a quicker construction option. Can't comment on the construction price difference. Anyone know why underpasses were chosen ?

Wasn't it to stay in touch with the 'island' theme, rather then a 'city' style overpass?

[Valentine]

This is the intersection at the Big Lotus?

Why not flyovers, do we live in the land of mole men?

Yes, the Lotus junction.

You would think that flyovers would be a quicker construction option. Can't comment on the construction price difference. Anyone know why underpasses were chosen ?

I always assumed there was more graft money out of a more expensive underpass but I imagine Central had something to say about having an overpass outside their shopping centres including the new one being built. I never thought that would be an issue at the Lotus junction.

[IrishIvan]

This is the intersection at the Big Lotus?

 

Why not flyovers, do we live in the land of mole men?

I think this is one of the only occasions we will agree with each other

[IrishIvan]

What about just 2 small bridges? One going over the chao fa road intersection from Phuket Town to Kathu at Central? And the other one at the start of bypass road?

[madmitch]

At Central, someone suggested that the politically connected owner of the Dara Hotel objected to an overpass. Can't understand it at Tesco Lotus.

A more likely scenario is that they requested as big a budget as possible in order to maximise graft payments and in these cases it was granted by Central Government.

Bigger budget = more money for those in power, whether it's the best option or not.