The work is expected to take two days, and expected to cause traffic delays while the work is bring carried out.
Somkiet Yimpong, Project Manager at the Phuket office of the Highways Department, told The Phuket News today (Apr 25),
“We will not close any roads, so no new maps for redirected traffic is necessary,” he said, “but the roads will be paved one section at a time to allow traffic to pass.
“We will need to close the lane that we are working on – and that will cause traffic delays,” Mr Somkiet explained.
Mr Somkiet is confident that the underpass will open before the end of May.
“We have had to postpone the opening of the underpass (from the Songkran deadline previously hoped for),” he said.
“We are now looking at opening the underpass to traffic by about May 28. It will be open by no later than May 30, which is the official date for project completion according to the contract,” he added.
Mr Somkiet explained that the workers are currently installing lights, fume-extraction fans and water pumps in the tunnel.
“Right now, overall construction is about 85% complete, but we haven’t finished installing the security systems yet. That work needs to be done very carefully,” he added.
“Also, construction of the golden lotus tower (in the centre of the roundabout) isn’t finish yet. It sill needs more work, and more lotus flower motifs added, but that will be finished on schedule in May, too,” Mr Somkiet said.
Mr Somkiet added that he had yet to be informed of any official name that the underpass is to be formally dedicated.
“We have not set a grand opening date yet,” he said.
Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot