Construction work is well underway on akey bridge spanning the Chao Phraya River in Thailand. The structure will be the widest river bridge in Thailand and is due for completion in 2023. It will carry four traffic lanes in either direction and is being built parallel to the existing Rama IX bridge in central Bangkok.
Building the cable-stayed bridge is costing US$192 million and the structure is being designed to cope with extreme weather conditions such as tornadoes. The 2km bridge forms part of the long-awaited Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Ring Road expressway project. The expressway works were proposed some years ago and had the original timeline been adhered to, it would already be complete, but the project has taken some years to gain momentum.
The client for the Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Bangkok Outer Ring Road Expressway is the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT). AEC is the construction supervision consultant for Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Bangkok Outer Ring Road Expressway project.
The project has been split into five contracts. Contract 1 is for the civil works, electrical works and mechanical works on a 6.4km section of the Rama II Road. Contract 2 is for the civil works, electrical works and mechanical works on a 5.3km stretch from Rama II Road to Dao Khanong Road. Contract 3 is for the civil works, electrical works and mechanical works on a 5km stretch from Dao Khanong Road to Suk Sawat Road. Contract 4 is for the civil works, electrical works and mechanical works on a 2km stretch from Suk Sawat Road including Cable-Stayed Bridge parallel to Rama 9 Bridge to Bang Khlo Interchange. And Contract 5 is for toll collection system works, traffic control system works and a communications system for the project.
Construction work for the delayed project to provide an elevated expressway measuring over 19km and connecting Rama III Road with Dao Khanong commenced in 2019. The project is being overseen by EXAT.
