Phuket Highways Chief calls for patience as Chalong Underpass construction begins

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

 

PHUKET: Excavation to install the retaining walls for the Chalong Underpass began last Friday (Dec 9), marking the beginning of at least two years of major traffic tailbacks at one of the busiest intersections on the island.

 

Phuket Highway Department Chief Papiwetwoottisak Sookkii asked drivers to be patient while the construction continues.

 

“Remember, the idea of this underpass is to solve the problem of traffic jams at Chalong Circle,” he said.

 

The construction contract – assigning Civil Engineering Co Ltd a budget of B546 million to complete the underpass – officially began on July 28, 2015, but an oversight saw work on moving the power lines, utility poles and water pipes not beginning until March this year.

 

The seven-month late start means that the scheduled completion date of September 14, 2017 is unlikely to be realised.

 

Tailbacks more than a kilometre long were already evident on the south side of Chalong Circle last weekend.

 

“This project is the hardest I’ve ever had because of the narrow roads and the volume of traffic,” said Somkiet Yimpong, the Phuket Highways Department engineer tasked with overseeing the project.

 

“This is more like Bangkok traffic; other areas in Phuket are much easier for a project like this than Chalong Circle,” he added.

 

Mr Somkiet is already tasked with overseeing the construction of two underpasses in Phuket: the Bang Khu Underpass; and the new underpass at the Thepkrasattri Rd turnoff to the airport.

 

Mr Somkiet urged motorists to use the designated alternative routes around Chalong Circle, but admitted that this would not alleviate the traffic jams at the site entirely.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-highways-chief-calls-for-patience-as-chalong-underpass-construction-begins-60289.php#OH8HoQUGI1U6wCCT.97

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-12-18

 

It's a nightmare. Yetserday about 15.00 I saw tailback way past Makro.

3 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

It's a nightmare. Yetserday about 15.00 I saw tailback way past Makro.

In high season every year there are tailbacks up to the Lemon Green station. Last week that has happened as well, but let's not forget it is the busiest time of year. So all in all so far it has not been too bad.

The article mentions designated alternative routes. Anyone knows what those are?

6 minutes ago, Antifreeze said:

The article mentions designated alternative routes. Anyone knows what those are?

"The construction contract – assigning Civil Engineering Co Ltd a budget of B546 million to complete the underpass – officially began on July 28, 2015, but an oversight saw work on moving the power lines, utility poles and water pipes not beginning until March this year."

 

An oversite! They forgot that much of the land they planned to use was privately owned!

Perhaps we should start a pool on when we think it may be completed.

My guess is Christmas 2019.
 

21 minutes ago, Shot said:

So the unfortunates living south of the circle, heading north, should head out the Orchid farm road, turn left at Patak Rd, then make a U-turn somewhere on top of the hill!

13 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

So the unfortunates living south of the circle, heading north, should head out the Orchid farm road, turn left at Patak Rd, then make a U-turn somewhere on top of the hill!

 

 Yes .... or turn right at the first road on the right, and then get back towards Chalong roundabout. Might just be quicker time wise that trying to go north through the circle.

Just now, LivinginKata said:

 

 Yes .... or turn right at the first road on the right, and then get back towards Chalong roundabout. Might just be quicker time wise that trying to go north through the circle.

or take the west coast road.

They are in no hurry, i have noticed since starting work on the Wiset rd side of the circle they have stopped working on the Choafa west rd side

Either they cannot get enough labors for the job or they are stretching the job out time wise so the price does not seem to expensive

15 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

or take the west coast road.

That's what I do on occasion, before the work started. Can be considerably quicker to Chalong Pier coming from Rawai.

Last week Saturday I was supposed to meet friends at a Restaurant at Chalong Pier at 7pm

Left Rawai at 6.25pm arrived at the Restaurant shortly after 8pm

The traffic backed up to the traffic light at Sai Yuan, just managed to pass when it was green, don't know how much further it backed up 15 minutes later.

When Chao Fa West is backed up taking the designated route to get back to Visit Rd one may as well just keep going through the circle as I don't feel any time can be saved. Coming the other way, As Croc rightly points out you virtually have to go halfway to Kata to make a U turn before going back to some narrow congested sois to get to West. I originally & stupidly thought they were going to make some new streets to get around the circle.

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

In high season every year there are tailbacks up to the Lemon Green station. Last week that has happened as well, but let's not forget it is the busiest time of year. So all in all so far it has not been too bad.

Apart from manual control at the circle there is no real rhyme or reason when traffic backs up. I do notice that more recently impatient motorists are almost causing gridlock on the circle.

Apart from manual control at the circle there is no real rhyme or reason when traffic backs up. I do notice that more recently impatient motorists are almost causing gridlock on the circle.

There is. ATM weekend evenings from Rawai are backed up, mornings are perfectly ok.

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I wonder how much the the new construction will will suffer some sort of malfunction BEFORE it opens this time?

 

And looks like maybe TWO rainy seasons before this puppy is done.

 

"The sound of inevitability Mr Anderson."

 

I await the headlines.

 

 

4 hours ago, Old Croc said:

"The construction contract – assigning Civil Engineering Co Ltd a budget of B546 million to complete the underpass – officially began on July 28, 2015, but an oversight saw work on moving the power lines, utility poles and water pipes not beginning until March this year."

 

An oversite! They forgot that much of the land they planned to use was privately owned!

Perhaps we should start a pool on when we think it may be completed.

My guess is Christmas 2019.
 

 

 

Christmas 2019? Going on the contractors track record I think your estimate maybe a little optimistic. I'll go for Nov 21st 2020 for 'partial completion'.

 

Watching Discovery Channel recently it reminded me that the good ol' US of A took only 10 years from 'scratch' to putting men on the moon (and getting them back)

16 minutes ago, d123 said:

 

 

Christmas 2019? Going on the contractors track record I think your estimate maybe a little optimistic. I'll go for Nov 21st 2020 for 'partial completion'.

 

Watching Discovery Channel recently it reminded me that the good ol' US of A took only 10 years from 'scratch' to putting men on the moon (and getting them back)

The Empire State building in the middle of New York City was built in just over 13 months in the early 1930s.

And these clowns need 3 years to dig a hole 85 years later.

21 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“This project is the hardest I’ve ever had because of the narrow roads and the volume of traffic,” said Somkiet Yimpong, the Phuket Highways Department engineer tasked with overseeing the project.

 

Then why award the project to a second rate company?

 

 

They are in no hurry, i have noticed since starting work on the Wiset rd side of the circle they have stopped working on the Choafa west rd side
Either they cannot get enough labors for the job or they are stretching the job out time wise so the price does not seem to expensive

They can't proceed further on the homepro side. They need land on both sides to the circle. Police residences also need to be shaved off.
The power poles need go back 3 metres on that's side of the road.

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Does anyone know where we can get hold of a copy of the Level 2 Schedule for this upcoming construction farce project?