Work has begun on erecting toll booths on the Pattaya-Chonburi Highway that should become operational by August 2016.
Three toll booths are planned at the Pattaya interchange near the Regent’s School, the Laem Chabang interchange and Bangpra interchange. The money collected will be used to pay off construction already begun to widen the highway and expand it in the port area.
The toll includes construction of new U-turns, concrete barriers and the booths themselves, as well as installation of the toll-collection system, which will rely on cards to meter fares.
Construction is underway to build tollbooths along the Pattaya-Chonburi Highway.
Work began Nov. 1 on the fare-collection system, traffic control system and public works. Buildings slated to go up include the main control building, one sub-control annex and two toll canopies.
All Motorway Corp was given the 4 billion baht contract from the Expressway Authority of Thailand and will do all the work, including construction of the reinforced concrete and asphalt roads.
Currently, the project is about 20 percent complete with work currently being done on the main control building – a two-story reinforced-concrete structure – and the two-story annex.
The Pattaya-Chonburi Highway is a portion of Highway 7 connecting Chonburi Province with Bangkok. It has been free to use since its opening in 2010. Officials said Pattaya residents are most concerned about the imposition of tolls along the eight kilometers of the highway that connect to Sukhumvit Road and dramatically shorten the commute time to the capital.
They said the Sukhumvit section of the expressway would still be exempted from tolls until all road improvements are complete.
Noting the importance of Highway 7 to the local port and logistics industries, as well as the nation’s export-driven economy, Officials classified the road improvements not only as necessary, but measures that will increase safety for drivers.
