An artist’s rendering of what
the tunnels entrances will look like.
Surasak Huasoon
After nearly six years of debate, criticism and skepticism and
doubt, construction might actually begin Nov. 15 on a traffic-bypass tunnel
under Sukhumvit Road.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh met Oct. 16 with engineers, regional
electrical and waterworks authorities, police and utility companies to begin
implementing the many detours and changes that will be needed to rip up 1.9
kilometers of Sukhumvit Road over the next three years.
Officials discussed possible detours, including using the area currently
used on Sukhumvit Road as a median, as another traffic lane during
construction.
The Central-Sukhumvit junction bypass - which calls for four subterranean
lanes to be built under the busy intersection to separate through and
downtown Pattaya-bound traffic - features a roofed roadway, 1,900 meters
long, running from Pornprapanimit Road, under Sukhumvit and ending on
Central Road. A large swatch of Sukhumvit also will be torn up to
accommodate the changes.
Only 420 meters of the roadway would be covered. The 20-meter-wide roadway
will have air ventilators, drainage, security cameras and a fire
extinguisher system. There will also be a U-turn constructed in the middle
of the tunnel, along with an above ground island adorned with dolphin
sculptures.
Additional bypasses are planned under Sukhumvit Road intersections with
North, Central, South and Thepprasit roads. Planning has already begun on
all sections, which each measuring 1,000-2,000 meters long. Construction on
the Thepprasit tunnel also will begin during the next three years.
Construction of the Sukhumvit
tunnel will affect 1.9 kilometers of busy roadway in Central Pattaya and
will last nearly 3 years.
