The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is building a road by Bang Khen canal to ease traffic congestion on Phahon Yothin Road during construction of the Green Line electric rail extension.
Steamrollers roll along a new road being built by the Bang Khen canal. The road will act as a bypass to ease traffic on Ngam Wong Wan Road and at Bang Khen and Kaset intersections during construction of the Green Line electric train route. Apichit Jinakul
Atavit Suwanpakdee, an adviser to the Bangkok governor, yesterday said the road will act as a bypass from Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in front of the Yakult Building to Soi Phahon Yothin 49/1.
He said the shortcut will help alleviate heavy traffic on Ngam Wong Wan Road and the Bang Khen and Kasetsart University intersections during construction of the Green Line railway extension from Mor Chit in Bangkok to Khu Khot in Pathum Thani.
Mr Atavit was speaking while inspecting progress on the road’s construction on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road yesterday.
He said Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra had instructed the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to start the construction.
A budget of 318 million baht for the road construction was proposed to the Bangkok Metropolitan Council for its approval, Mr Atavit added.
A temporary road with two lanes for inbound and outbound traffic, covering two kilometres, will be completed next month, according to Mr Atavit.
He said it will take about a year to complete the entire road.
The completed road will comprise four lanes, a traffic island, a bicycle lane and also a pavement.
Drainage, lighting and a dyke running along the canal will also be built simultaneously, he said.
Mr Atavit said the current road project is an extension of an existing one that was initiated 15 years ago.
However, work on that road petered out after only 250 metres because progress was held up by ditch and drainage systems belonging to Kasetsart University, residential houses and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.
Mr Atavit said the BMA will seek ways to overcome these problems as quickly as possible.
Currently, work on the Green Line extension has forced authorities to reduce the number of traffic lanes on Phahon Yothin Road from six to four.
The recent demolition of the Kasetsart University intersection flyover to make way for the mass transit project has also worsened traffic congestion in the area, Mr Atavit added.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/763440/bypass-aims-to-ease-green-line-gridlock
