Highways Office applies for “new’ Sarasin Bridge

PHUKET CITY: The Phuket Provincial Highways Office (PPHO) will apply to the Highways Department headquarters in Bangkok for permission to start researching costs and possible designs for a new bridge off the island.

PPHO Chief Supphasak Nunsang told the Gazette, “We will include a proposal for a new Sarasin Bridge in our 2008 budget, but first we need to draw up plans and estimate a budget before we can apply to the Highways Department.”

Chief Supphasak said that other funds to be applied for include 15 million baht for reworking the hazardous curve at Koh-En and 90 million baht for widening Highway 4027 to four lanes from the Heroines’ Monument to the Ao Por Pier turnoff.

“Phuket will have about 60% to 70% of the 200 million baht it requested for roadwork maintenance and improvements. Those funds will be used to improve the road over the hill to Patong, highway lighting around the island and traffic light repairs,” Chief Supphasak said.