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Improving Traffic Flow between Bangkok and Thonburi
Today commuters traveling from northern Thonburi to government offices or major business districts on the Bangkok side of the Chao Praya River have no expressways and no public transport options to speed up their journey. Instead, there are just three main routes to take. The first is to take Borom Rat Chonnani Road and cross either the Pra Pin Klao Bridge or the Rama VIII Bridge to get to Ratchadamnoen Avenue . The second route is to take Borom Rat Chonnani Road to Sirinthon Road and then cross Krungthon Bridge , connecting with Rajvithi Road . The last option is to take Borom Rat Chonnani Road to Sirinthon Road , and then turn on to Charan Sanitwong Road before crossing the Rama VII Bridge in the direction of Ratchaphisek Road .
Anyone wanting to make use of the city's expressway network to reach other parts of Bangkok has no choice but to battle the traffic to get to the Yomaraj on-ramp, which is the closest entrance.
In any case, all these main routes combined are inadequate to handle the growing volume of traffic that crosses the river each day. Especially during the morning and evening rush hours from Monday to Friday, traffic backs up on both sides of the Chao Praya, resulting in lost time, lost money, wasted fuel, and a significant decline in the quality of life.
The government is aware of the urgency of this situation and has speeded its efforts to come up with an integrated approach to solving the traffic crisis. A key element of the government's plans to improve east-west traffic flow between west Bangkok and northern Thonburi is the Western Corridor Project.
The government has given responsibility for overall research and planning for the new project to the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP). The OTP is also responsible for coordinating with the other major players involved, namely the State Railways of Thailand (SRT), the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (ETA), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the Department of Highways and the Department of Rural Roads. Together, these organizations will give careful consideration to the feasibility of the project from engineering, economic, financial and investment standpoints. They will also conduct an environmental impact assessment and review all aspects of the project design in detail.
3-System Mass Transit and Expressway Project on an Existing Route.
The Western Corridor Project will begin at Kanchana Phisek Road near the Chimplee interchange and follow the western railway line, which runs parallel to Borom Rat chonnani Road. From there, it will pass Charan Sanitwong Road and cross the Chao Praya River in the vicinity of the Rama VI Bridge and continue on to Bang Sue, terminating at the Sirat expressway near the Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal 2, for a total distance of 16.7 kilometers . For most of this length, the project will run along the existing train lines, reducing the impact on the public and minimizing the need to appropriate privately-owned land.
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Kanchana Phisek on/off ramps |
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Ratchapruek on/off ramps and Connecting to Borom Rat Chonnani Road |
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Bang Bamru on/off ramps |
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Charansanitwong on/off ramps
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RamaVI on/off ramps
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Kamphaengphet on/off ramps and Connecting to Sirat Expressway
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To alleviate traffic congestion between Bangkok and Thonburi to the greatest extent possible, the project consists of three key components: rail, expressway, and a frontage road that parallels the railroad line.
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- The rail link will begin from Taling Chan station, passing through Bang Bamru and Bang Son, and terminating at Bang Sue station, a combined distance of roughly 15.2 kilometers . Meanwhile, the OTP has also drawn up plans to improve outbound rail services from Taling Chan to the stations at Sala Thamasop, Salaya, Wat Suwan, Klong Mahasawat, Wat Ngiew Rai, Nakhon Chaisri, Tha Chalaeb, Ton Samrong, all the way to Nakhon Pathom, a total distance of 41.3 kilometers.
Once the project is completed, the twin tracks will facilitate both suburban and long-distance train travel and the movement of both passengers and freight. The improved service to Bangkok 's western suburbs will also enable people to connect more easily with other mass transit systems in and around the capital. Taling Chan will be the junction for trains traveling to Thonburi and Bangkok Noi stations. Bang Bamru station will connect with the proposed MRTA orange line and serve as a terminus for long-distance trains. The Bang Son station will connect with the MRTA's purple line, and Bang Sue station will connect with the blue line
- The 16.7-kilometer expressway will be a six-lane elevated roadway starting from Kanchana Phisek Road , near the Chimplee interchange, proceeding along the westbound railroad line, passing Charan Sanitwong Road , crossing the Chao Praya River near the Rama VI Road , and terminating near Bang Sue. The new expressway will then link with the Sirat expressway near the Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal 2. It will no longer be elevated once it approaches Kamphaeng Phet Road . Like the rail component, the expressway is expected to improve traffic flow and speed travel between Thonburi and Bangkok .
- Local road, which parallels the railway line, will facilitate the movement of vehicles entering and exiting the expressway and give access to smaller local roads. On SRT property, the local road will be divided into two sections. The first, stretching 1.7 kilometers from Pracha Chuen to Pracharat Roads, will be built under the expressway and be four lanes wide. The second section will start at Charan Sanitwong Road and terminate at Kanchana Phisek Road . Running along both sides of the railway line, this two-lane stretch of road will run for a distance of 11.5 kilometers on the northern side of the tracks and 11.7 kilometers on the south.
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