Plans for 12-lane highway approved

[webfact]

Plans for 12-lane highway approved

Phuket Gazette

  

        

A map of Phuket showing the proposed 12-lane highway going from north to south. Photo: Sukawin Tanthavanich

 

PHUKET: -- Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada announced on September 6 that preliminary plans for a proposed 12-lane highway running the length of the island have been approved and may be completed by 2022.

Although the exact route of the proposed superhighway has not yet been decided, the 22 kilometer project would reportedly start 1km away from Phuket International Airport and extend to the Premium Outlet mall in Koh Kaew at a cost of 15 billion baht.

Governor Chamroen said the proposed highway is necessary to accommodate Phuket’s future growth. “We hope to raise the standards of roads and infrastructure in Phuket to a world-class level,” said Gov Chamroen. “This road will help alleviate traffic rush hour on Thepkasattri Road and reduce the number of accidents. The highway will also be able to handle the increasing number of vehicles predicted to be on Phuket's roads in the next 10 to 20 years.”

"Phuket’s high economic growth rate and opportunities compared to the south of Thailand continue to drive migration to the island, while the tourism industry continues to follow an upward trend in the increasing number of visitors, said the governor, adding that the main thoroughfare of Thepkasattri Road is already stretched beyond capacity with about 80,000 vehicles using the road each day. That number is expected to reach at least 100,000 vehicles within the next few years.

 

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Plans-12lane-highway-approved/65553?desktopversion#ad-image-0

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2016-09-12

[LivinginKata]

Let the madness commence .... sumtam cart way out in the 6th lane.

[lonewolf99]

Of those 80,000 - 100,000 vehicles how many will soon be "driverless"? ho ho ho... 

 

Have google etc got someone working on SomTam cart avoidance software or have they ever thought of factoring in "when entering a 12 lane highway from a side Soi"....never ever look or stop. Never ever turn your head, Never ever signal or use mirrors and indicators.

[bark]

12 lane highway, still empty on to 2 lane roads; so what is the point ?

[eliotness]

Too much Lao khow I think, makes for crazy dreams !

[Autonuaq]

make is future proof and add a sky train to it with parking lots and the station areas solves a lot of problems besides it reduces traffic. Then support it with some public buses to the main destinations that supports better as well more future proof.

Like @Bark comments: 12 lanes into 2 lanes makes probably the traffic Jam wider and makes it look like shorter for the statistics.

[elgordo38]

Better run a huge water pipe beside the road to provide all the increased water demand by the increase in tourist numbers. 

[borisloosebrain]

Sounds more like a plan by a few to make a pile of cash via construction contracts.12 lanes ...really ??

[xylophone]

On 9/12/2016 at 3:33 PM, LivinginKata said:

Let the madness commence .... sumtam cart way out in the 6th lane.

 

I suppose I could say, "let the madness continue" because the dual carriageway leading to and from the airport actually becomes a six lane highway when you consider the crazy taxi drivers who scream up the "hard shoulder" and decide to shoot through the red traffic lights in that lane because they don't think it applies to them. I have seen some absolutely crazy antics like that and it scares me shitless.

 

Now imagine a 12 lane highway with associated "hard shoulders" and you've got more room for more madness.

 

If you add together the fact that many car and motorbike drivers here have not passed any driving test in any way shape or form, road sense and road etiquette are absolutely lacking, commonsense is non-existent and the idea that an action can have a consequence is completely alien to Thais, then you will probably get the motorway from hell.

 

I shudder to think about it.