City Hall will give Bangkok’s pavements a facelift, in a pilot project to be carried out on 16 roads with a combined pavement length of up to 86 kilometres.
The renovation project starts with Rama IV Road, at Hua Lamphong, Bangkok's former main train station, and stretching 5km to end where the road meets Kasemrat Road.
The first 2.3km section, from Hua Lamphong to Suan Lumpini Park’s gate No.3, is about 40% complete, while the other section, 2.7km long, is 57% complete, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
Minor repair of pavements with a combined length of more than 300km was carried out last year, said Wisanu Subsompon, a deputy Bangkok governor.
These works have yet to meet the satisfaction of many pedestrians, considering the number of complaints received about Bangkok’s pavements.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt admitted that some pavements in the city still need work. The combined length of pavements in the capital is around 6,000km, he said.
The project requires that work meets international standards for good pavements, he said on the BMA's Facebook page.
The height of curb concrete edging will be 10 centimetres, instead of 18.5cm under the old design, while the paving material on the surface of pavements has changed to fortified concrete to ensure its durability.
Asphalt concrete is also an optional material, the BMA said. The concrete surface must now be 10cm thick and fortified with 6 millimetres thick steel.
The part of the pavement passing the entrance to a building which requires a ramp will need a smooth transition. Braille blocks will be installed for visually impaired pedestrians, while porous asphalt was picked for tree surrounds on pavements, to expand walking space.
A horizontal surface drainage system also will help remove water on the pavement surface.