PUBLISHED : 13 Oct 2023 at 04:00
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) recently held its first public hearing on the Srinakarin-Suvarnabhumi airport elevated expressway construction project, which is expected to be finished in 2030.
Exat governor Surachet Laophulsuk said yesterday that the project aims to ease traffic congestion on Motorway No.7, especially the section close to the airport.
He said the first hearing was held on Wednesday, which focused on the project’s engineering, economics, finance, and environmental impact assessment (EIA).
The public has so far agreed on building ground columns for the new expressway in the middle of Motorway No.7, as building the columns on the street side might affect the locals’ well-being.
The new expressway will be 18 kilometres long and link the Si Rat Expressway in the Rama IX area to Lad Krabang district.
Mr Surachet said that Exat needed to negotiate with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Lat Krabang, regarding the project’s impact as the new expressway’s entrance and exit will be built in the Lat Krabang community.
After those issues are settled, Exat will move ahead with the construction design. The Department of Highways (DoH) initiated the expressway project before transferring it to be overseen by Exat last July.
At that time, DoH estimated the project investment would be about 29.5 billion baht. Exat plans to lessen the budget investment, he said.
Exat will conduct four more public hearings before starting the design and study stages. The project design is expected to take about one year or might be completed by next September.
The project will be submitted for cabinet approval in 2025, Mr Surachet said.
The bidding is expected to start in 2026 before construction begins in 2027. Construction is expected to take at least three years, he added.