No solution in sight to our traffic woes

No solution in sight to our traffic woes

There's an expressway route that goes to the Dao Khanong port from the main Bangkok expressway, but once there, ground infrastructure is lacking to say the least. (Google Maps)
There's an expressway route that goes to the Dao Khanong port from the main Bangkok expressway, but once there, ground infrastructure is lacking to say the least. (Google Maps)

I don't know how many of you had a chance to read a report this week that said the busiest road in Bangkok was Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.The gateway to the North and the Northeast, Vibhavadi Rangsit sees an average of 158,711 vehicles per day.

But there are a few good things about this busy route. The Don Muang tollway is there to help alleviate heavy traffic. And now authorities are in the process of completing the "Red" elevated rail line that would run through the area and help reduce traffic.

The second busiest road was Rama II, from Samae Dam to Daokhanong, which sees an average of 144,958 vehicles per day, while Chaeng Watthana Road, from Laksi to Khlong Prapa, was the third busiest with 110,188 vehicles.

The situation on Vibhavadi Rangsit and Rama II may not look that bad as there are many lanes and just a few traffic lights along the way.

Umesh Panday is Editor, Bangkok Post.

But the reality is very different, especially for Rama II.

As a person who has lived on Rama II for over 20 years, I know how it feels when I am heading into the city. On any given day it takes me anywhere from 75 to 90 minutes during rush hour.

The situation on Chaeng Watthana is similar. From my various experiences driving through that area, the traffic congestion is no better than Rama II. Unlike Vibhavadi Rangsit, the two routes do not have either a tollway or any upcoming elevated rail service.

The plight of those living on the western side of the city, such as those on Rama II, seems to be ignored. No elevated rail networks are planned anytime in the near future and the only thing that I can see is the fact that we have an extension of the Red Line that would most probably use the ancient narrow gauge rail that runs from Wong Wian Yai to Samut Songkram, which by the way runs at a snail's pace.

The plan for a possible link from the Dao Khanong expressway exit to the outer ring Kanchanapisek Road has been on the drawing board since my family moved to Rama II in the early 1990s and if you ever drive past the Rama II-Kanchanapisek intersection you will notice the bridges that were built back then in preparation for the link.

Nearly a quarter century later the link to that expressway remains as elusive as a ghost and in July this year I was glad to read that the cabinet had approved the setting up of a 100-billion-Baht "Thailand Future Fund" that would be used to invest in infrastructure projects.

One of the projects that would get off the ground would be the long-awaited expressway on Rama II Road.

I do not know what traffic would be like once they start construction of this expressway, but given what the traffic situation is now, I would consider moving out of the area for a year or so while construction is under way.

But what surprises me is why the planning of expressways and mass-transit routes do not account for demographic changes in the city's suburbs.

With the development and urbanisation being witnessed around Dao Khanong, Ratburana and Rama II, it is surprising that the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) has not even considered expanding its elevated rail systems to serve these areas.

There are plans for the Purple Line to eventually pass through to Phra Pradaeng in the "future" (hopefully not in another quarter century), but what is the plan for the clogged-up Rama II Road?

Why can't the authorities think about how to best tap the planned Dao Khanong expressway link with that of a possible rail-transit system?

But then who am I kidding here? The fact that all this traffic on Rama II is caused by a major bottleneck -- the Rama IX Bridge, is something that the authorities have yet to resolve. It was the genius idea of some "smart" architects who have forced vehicles to go down from an expressway to touch the base of the bridge and then rise to about 90 metres high to reach the top of the bridge and then drive for just 225 metres before going downhill again.

All this was done in the name of claiming the fame of being the world's second-longest suspension bridge when it was opened on Dec 5, 1987. The crown was lost within months of its launch but since then the deceleration and then acceleration on the bridge has caused traffic nightmares for the millions of people who use the route for their commute.

Umesh Pandey

Bangkok Post Editor

Umesh Pandey is Editor, Bangkok Post.

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