Work on Phuket underpass to finish in April next year
The construction of Phuket’s Chalong Circle underpass is expected to be finished around April next year – meaning at least 14 months of more pain for drivers, Phuket Highway Office chief Somwang Lohanut said on Saturday.
The office has already installed signs at the construction site suggesting detours via Kata, Karon, Chalong and Phuket Town to avoid traffic congestion, following an order from Phuket Governor, Norapat Plodthong.
Two countdown signs showing the finish date have already been installed as well, while the contractor has increased the number of workers and working hours during the night to push forward with the construction process.
“We are expanding routes 4021 and 4024, which have narrow lanes. As soon as the ceiling of the underpass is finished, we can expand that part as a traffic lane,” Somwang said.
“There’s still a part of the road where we have to pave the asphalt and we have to close the lane, as the material is very hot and could be dangerous.
“Be careful when using this route and plan ahead for travel time.”
The snail’s-pace construction of the two-lane underpass has frustrated southern locals who have to wait up to an hour at some times of the day to travel north along Vichit Road to the Chalong Circle.
Locals are now calling it the ‘Chalong car park’