CityNews – On Thursday March 3, a meeting between the Department of Rural Roads, two construction companies and the headman of Nong Kwai sub-district concluded that the only way to solve the traffic problem at Ton Kwen Intersection was to build a tunnel.
The Ton Kwen Junction is the last junction of the canal road heading south before the road splits into two small roads on the sides of the continuing canal, near Ton Kwen Temple.
According to the construction companies who arranged the meeting, the local residents would prefer a tunnel instead of an overpass to help cars pass the junction without stopping at a red light. The road is separated in the middle by a canal.
The principle of the Bureau of Design for the Department of Rural Roads, Manit Nilkhet, outlined three choices of tunnel. The first choice is to build two tunnels on both sides of the canal, northbound and southbound. The second choice is to build the tunnel for only one direction. And the third choice is to build in place of the canal way and build a new waterway beside the tunnel.
The department will bring more detailed information about all three to a public meeting next month, where a decision will be made.
The tunnel will need to take the waterway into account, and be carefully maintained as to not leak or become flooded. This maintenance was predicted to cost around one hundred thousand Baht a year.
Nong Kwai sub-district headman, Intha Luangjai, told reporters he hopes the double tunnel will be built as if only one is built it will discriminate to those still having to wait at the traffic lights.
He also claims that residents in the area will welcome the development, as the traffic at the junction is allegedly becoming an issue.