Relief for BKK motorists as two roads set to reopen

The fire-damaged Thai-Belgium Bridge on Rama IV Road is ready to be reopened to motorists today while he reopening of the Ratchayothin intersection could take place on May 22.

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Thai-Belgium Bridge ready to reopen

Supoj Wancharoen

The Thai-Belgium Bridge on Rama IV Road in Sathorn, which was damaged by fire in late February and partly closed for repairs, is ready to be reopened to motorists today, according to Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang.

He made the remarks yesterday as he led a team of City Hall executives to inspect the structural integrity of the bridge after repair work was finished.

The fire damaged the 29-year-old bridge's structure, causing safety concerns and prompting the repairs, worsening traffic jams on congested Rama IV Road.

Pol Lt Gen Aswin said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had hired a contractor to repair the bridge at a cost of 24 million baht.

He added the new improved bridge will now help ease the flow of traffic particularly when the new school term begins next week

Pol Gen Aswin said soon after the blaze that all 10 steel beams on both outbound and inbound lanes had to be replaced, adding the road surface also required repairs.

Steel beams taken from demolished flyovers at Ratchayothin and Kasetsart intersections were installed at the Thai-Belgian flyover.

Reopening set for Ratchayothin intersection

Online reporters

Bangkok's traffic police expect the reopening of Ratchayothin intersection on May 22 following the construction of a new underpass roof.

Pol Maj Gen Jirapat Phumjit, the deputy Bangkok police chief supervising traffic affairs, quoted contractor Italian-Thai Development Plc as reporting that the roof of the underpass was completed, but it had yet to finish drainage pipes, high-voltage pipelines and the tarmac above the underpass in the middle of the intersection between Ratchadaphisek and Phahon Yothin roads.

The reopening of Ratchayothin intersection could take place on May 22. If heavy rains delay the work, the reopening would be postponed to the end of this month, the deputy metropolitan police commissioner said.

After the reopening, he expected traffic flows at the intersection would be 20% faster.

The underpass was designed to replace a flyover at the intersection. The removal of the flyover began last November to make the way for the construction of the Mo Chit-Saphan Mai section of the 19-kilometre-long Green Line electric railway extension.

The construction of the underpass started in late January and the elevated Green Line extension was set to be completed in two years.

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