Alas, the Darasamut Underpass was recently opened, formally, to the delight of officials and commuters alike, many of whom had endured through hundreds of hours of additional traffic during the two-plus years it took to complete.
But only weeks after the grand opening, it soon became clear that traffic at and near the intersection has not necessarily improved all around as hoped, especially southbound during peak hours, when you can get stuck in stand-still traffic inside the tunnel for 10 minutes or more.
If you’re claustrophobic, it’s advised to avoid using the tunnel (southbound) during these times, when the jam begins just as you descend into the tunnel, and carries on all the way down to the Naka junction, and beyond.
Some argue that no matter how much money is thrown at any particular problem junction in Phuket, with the continued increase in population and number of motor vehicles, traffic will not go away, but only be relocated to other problematic junctions that beefy government budgets have yet to address.
In favour of pursuing a mass-transit route, this lot are divided into two schools: one who insists that we go full steam ahead with the multi-billion-baht monorail project, which ironically, would likely result in a decade more of traffic jams as it gets built. And the other who think that a proper, reformed bus network system is all that is needed.
Indeed, there are a number of major traffic and transport infrastructure projects on the burner, but with only a finite amount of funds available at any given time, much discussion and debate is needed to determine which of these projects deserves most priority.
Bringing us to The Phuket News’ latest poll, which asks: “Which traffic-infrastructure improvement projects should receive priority in Phuket?
Respondents can choose up to three options from the following eight choices:
- The Bang Ku junction (north end of the bypass);
- Koh Kaew traffic lights;
- The new airport-bypass route;
- Chalong Circle;
- Naka junction;
- Patong Tunnel;
- Heroine’s Monument circle;
- The airport-Chalong monorail
- Reformation of the outdated bus network/system.
Respondents are also asked to denote how much time they spend in Phuket traffic every day, whether it’s less than 15 minutes; more than 15 minutes, but less than 30; 31 minutes to an hour, or more than an hour.
Have your say now, vote in the poll here.