For Chalong Circle, a total of seven basic designs, including both underpasses and overpasses, have been drawn up. So far, two main options seem to be favoured.
One of these sees a two-lane underpass connecting Wiset Rd with Chao Fa West Rd, with all the traffic flowing north through it.
The other design would see one lane heading north from Wiset Rd to Chao Fa West Rd and the other heading south from Chao Fa East Rd into Wiset Rd. Both projects would be about a kilometre long, including approach roads at either end.
Phuket Governor Maitree Instusut said that currently Chalong Circle was busy at all times of the day, but mostly around rush hour. The circle is a main thoroughfare for almost everyone who lives in the south of the island, and traffic jams are common.
Phuket Highways Department Director Samak Lueduanghad told those present at the meeting that a public hearing for residents would be held on November 11 at 9am at the Phuket Provincial Hall.
Discussion also took place in relation to other construction projects around the island, such as the underpasses at the Central Festival intersection and the Samkong/Tesco Lotus intersection.
The underpass at Central Festival should be open for full use around February 2014, the meeting was told. Mr Samak said the underpass was now more than 50 per cent complete.
The entire underpass project, which includes an additional underpass at the intersection of the bypass road and Thepkrassattri Rd, should be completed by around October 2014, the meeting was told.
Mr Samak believes the current traffic jams outside Central Festival – down to two lanes on each side now – would not be as bad at the Tesco Lotus intersection, because there was more space available.
Over on Patong Hill, the section of road which last year caved in after heavy rain, should be completed by around November this year.
In regards to regular flooding in Patong, Gov Maitree said that when he visited the fresh market there recently, many residents were complaining that every time it rained, the Kathu police station and Patong Hospital area was flooded.
He told them to “hang in there” and wait until the Patong-Kathu tunnel and expressway was built, as it would have good drainage.
Gov Maitree was confident the Patong-Kathu tunnel would be “helpful in many ways”, but mainly because the risk of accidents of people travelling to and from Patong would decrease by around 15 per cent.
Another way to solve Patong’s flooding problems was the ongoing dredging of Klong Pak Bang, which is around 2.6km long and runs through Patong, Gov Maitree said.
This is scheduled to be completed by December this year.