On January 30, 2013, Thailand Cycling Club (TCC), represented by Mr. Gawin Chutima, took part in a survey to come up with guidelines for the design and construction of a cycle way connecting King Mongkut Institute of Technology Lat Krabang (KMITL) and Lat Krabang Airport Rail Link Train Station along a road parallel to the Bangkok – Chon Buri Motorway according to a resolution of a Transport Ministry’s meeting on January 9, 2013 (see news about the meeting in this website).
Apart from TCC representative, participants in this survey included representatives from the Highway Department (Head of Lat Krabang Highway Division), KMITL, KMITL’s Faculty of Architecture, a team that produces Cycling Travel Handbook, and Transport Ministry’s Office of Transport Policy and Planning (OTPP) which coordinated this survey.
The survey team agreed in principle guidelines for the design and construction of this 5 km. route that it would be a two-way cycle path, or ‘Dutch Style’ segregated cycle lane that gives maximum safety to cycle users in three general forms. First, where there is unused land along the road, a 2.50 meter-wide cycle path would be constructed with lights and trees to provide shade. Secondly, a 1.50 meter-wide cycle bridge would be constructed attached to existing concrete road bridges. And thirdly, 1.50 meter-wide cycle lane would be created on footpath where it is unused by pedestrians or there is no more space left outside to construct a new bike path due to houses already built up to the footpath. Any obstructions on the route would be removed or improved. The Highway Department (HD) would design the cycle way and bridges and use its budget for construction. At one end of the route, KMITL would be responsible for cycle way and cycle parking facilities in its campus; more could be constructed to existing ones if needed with its own budget. At another end, two entrances would be made available at the train station; one is being constructed already. Existing cycle parking facilities at the station which is now occupied mostly by motorcycles would be improved for use by cycles only.
Notes of the survey results would be officially sent from OTPP to HD to start the cycle way/bridge design and later construction.
Reported by Gawin Chutima