A 13.9-billion-baht expressway project linking tambon Kathu and Patong beach in Phuket is on the cards to further boost tourism and serve as an alternative to an accident-prone route that connects the east of the island to the popular beach, Phuket governor Norapat Plodthong said yesterday.
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) on May 17 forwarded the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) study report to the State Enterprise Policy Office for consideration, Mr Norapat said.
The scheme will later be proposed to the Commission Policy on Private Participation in State Affairs and then sent to the cabinet for approval, according to the governor.
He said the expressway could help solve traffic woes by diverting traffic away from Highway 4029, which has a high rate of road accidents.
It would also serve as an evacuation route in case of natural disasters such as a tsunami, the governor said.
Mr Norapat said 5.6 billion baht has been budgeted for land expropriation and 8.2 billion baht to build the expressway. According to the plan, it would have four outbound and four inbound lanes, with one lane in each direction set aside for motorcycles.
The expressway would start at Phra Metta Road in tambon Patong with an elevated structure over Pisitkoranee Road stretching 0.9km before reaching Mount Nakkerd.
A tunnel would also need to be carved out through the mountain running for a length of 1.85km, Mr Norapat said, adding the elevated road would connect to tambon Kathu.
Meanwhile, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) said that construction of its "Light Rail Transit" system -- lightweight trains -- in Phuket is likely to kick off in 2020 and that it should be operating commercially three years later.