Construction of the country's widest river bridge, over the Chao Phraya in Bangkok, is expected to be completed next year.
The eight-lane bridge is being built parallel to Rama IX Bridge. It is a 2-kilometre-long cable-stayed structure, part of the Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Ring Road expressway project. It was designed to withstand a tornado-gust wind speed of 270km/h.
Traffic relief
According to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat), this 6.6-billion-baht bridge project will relieve traffic congestion on the adjacent cable-stayed Rama IX Bridge, which is 35 years old and in need of repair.
Although the parallel bridge is expected to be completed this month, it is not set to be officially opened until early next year.
A source said the Expressway Authority is seeking a royally sponsored name for the landmark bridge to honour His Majesty the King.
The Bangkok Post spoke to Chatri Tansiri, deputy governor of Exat's construction and maintenance department, about progress on the bridge parallel to Rama IX Bridge.
Mr Chatri said the parallel bridge is part of the Rama III expressway project, stretching 18.7km from the Bang Khunthian interchange along Rama II Road to the Bang Khlo interchange, connecting with the Chalerm Maha Nakhon and Si Rat expressways.
The value of the project is 30 billion baht, excluding an operation control cost of 400 million baht and land expropriation cost of 807 million baht.
The project is carried out under five contracts, with the first involving construction of the overpass with six lanes stretching 6.4km from the Bang Khunthian interchange to Central Rama II. Progress has reached 18.85% and construction is set to end on Oct 25 next year.
The second contract involves the overpass leading to Bangpakok 9 International Hospital, stretching 5.3km. Work is set to end on July 19 and is now 63.1% complete.
The path will continue to the Dao Khanong toll gate along the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway at the Dao Khanong-Suk Sawat-Rat Burana section stretching 5km. Work is set to end on Oct 25 next year and is now 16.9% complete.
The fourth contract involves construction of the Rama IX parallel bridge with eight lanes, stretching 2km to the Bang Khlo interchange, which is now 98.2% complete, with a year-end deadline.
For the fifth contract, the authorities will allow companies to bid to oversee toll collection, traffic control and communication systems for the entire Rama III expressway project, worth 877 million baht, by the end of this month.
The Rama III expressway project will help alleviate congestion in the capital and its adjacent provinces to the west and south of the country, Mr Chatri said.
As of now, Rama IX Bridge handles an average volume of 104,000 vehicles a day. When the Rama III expressway is completed, congestion on the bridge will ease.
Cable-stayed marvel
Mr Chatri said the fourth contract is the highlight of the project as the Rama IX parallel bridge will be the country's biggest cable-stayed bridge. It will be 80 metres in height from the bottom to its highest point. In addition, the parallel bridge is being built with eight lanes, while Rama IX Bridge has only six.
Mr Chatri said the parallel bridge is not a suspension bridge, adding that type of bridge is not necessary for Thailand as the structure must be built over an enormous river or sea, which would be expensive to do.
One of the world's best known suspension bridges is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, United States.
"A study from a consulting firm showed that if the Rama III expressway project is completed, there will no longer be a traffic bottleneck on Rama IX Bridge during rush hour as most people would travel on the new route," he said.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the structure of the cable-stayed bridge is expected to be completed next month. Later, the rest of the bridge's construction will involve architectural work.
Exat confirmed it is seeking a royally sponsored name for the bridge to honour His Majesty the King.
In March next year, Exat plans to partially launch certain routes, with the one along the Rama IX parallel bridge to the Suk Sawat toll gate opening first.
After the full launch of the parallel bridge, Exat will suspend the use of Rama IX Bridge, in 2025, for maintenance set to last a year. The bridge will be upgraded with a sensor system for added safety, Mr Saksayam said.
