At present the Western Corridor has progressed to the detailed planning stage, and the original route of the proposed expressway has been revised in order to reduce the amount of land to be appropriated and minimize the project's impact on the public.
Under the revised plan, there will no longer be an off/on-ramp at Vibhavadi Rangsit Road . This means that the route will now begin at Kanchana Phisek Road and run parallel to Borom Rat Chonnani Road before crossing the Chao Praya River near the Rama VI Bridge and connecting with the Sirat Expressway in the vicinity of Bang Sue.
In addition, the U-turn locations near Manthana Housing Estate and at the foot of the Rama VI Bridge have been redesigned in order to eliminate the need to tear down buildings and reduce the number of residential properties that will have to be appropriated.
Additional changes in the proposed route of the project may be necessary in the future. Members of the public wishing further information should contact the project consultants.
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) together with the responsible consulting firms held three meetings with relevant agencies and members of the general public to solicit their views on the proposed new Kanchana Phisek – Rama VI – Sirat Expressway Project. These meetings took place on March 23, October 7 and November 23, 2004.
Western Corridor Project (Feasibility Study and Detailed Design of Expressway from Bangsue to Rama VI Bridge Connecting to Borom Rat Chonnani Road Project) is intended to study the desirability and feasibility of the proposed expressway system from engineering, economic, and investment perspectives. It is also meant to examine the project's environmental impact and its detailed plans. The roadway is expected to provide a new alternative on the east-west axis running between Bangkok on the east side of the Chao Praya River and Thonburi on the west. It will be located chiefly on land belonging to the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) in order to minimize its impact on the public.
The route of the new project will begin at Kanchana Phisek Road , near the Chimplee interchange, and run parallel with the western railroad line. It will pass Charan Sanitwong Road and cross the river near the Rama VI Bridge. From here it will pass Pracharat and Pracha Chuen Roads before connecting with the Sirat Expressway in Bang Sue. The project will offer commuters three new travel options:
- Rail,Twin train tracks will run the entire length of the proposed route. Between Taling Chan and Bang Bamru, the tracks will be at ground level. Then they will be elevated as they cross the river and continue in the direction of Bang Son and Bang Sue stations.
- Expressway, The six-lane elevated roadway will have a total of 7 exit/entrance ramps and will connect with the Borom Rat Chonnani Road and the Sirat Expressway.
- Frontage Road, This is a two-lane asphalt-concrete road running parallel to the railroad tracks, with one-way traffic on each side of the tracks.
The preliminary study has found that if the project is completed, it will satisfy projected traffic needs in the future. In 2021, the expressway is expected to accommodate some 104,500 passenger vehicles daily. An additional 156,000 passengers will travel by suburban train, with the busiest stretch of track between Bang Bamru and Bang Sue stations.
An economic analysis of the proposed mass transit and expressway project linking Bangkok and Thonburi has found it to be a worthwhile investment. Its contribution to national development should outweigh the cost of construction. Once it is completed, the new link will speed travel times across the river, cut costs to car owners, and reduce traffic accidents. The most financially advantageous form of financing appears to be a joint arrangement between the state and private sectors.
According to a preliminary environmental assessment of the project's overall physical and biological impact along the entire proposed route, the new expressway should yield significant benefits and have only a minimal impact on the quality of life. Even so, comprehensive measures have been adopted to minimize any potential impact and ensure the safety of the public.
However, for the project to achieve its goals, it is vital for everyone concerned to work together. This includes the state and private sectors, forward-thinkers, the mass media, and most importantly, the general public. Through the cooperation of all these stakeholders, the new mass transit and expressway project linking Bangkok and Thonburi can be a tremendous boon for the public and the entire nation.
