October_1966 — Page 67

THAILAND

CIVIL ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS

BANGKOK-SARABURI

HIGHWAY

To LOPBUR! ' SAREZURI

TO KORAT

Br. #

To NAKORN NAYOK

HINKONG

મ

い

NONG KHAE

Bridge Lift Spon

Bridge Bridge

Fudge

Bridge Lift Spon

To AYUTHYA

Bridge

FTER nine years of planning and A

construction the Bangkok-Sara- buri Highway, was formally dedicat- ed in April this year. It extends for 103 km. between Bangkok and the prosperous provincial city of Saraburi, the gateway to the northern and north eastern portions of Thailand.

In the construction of the highway a number of "firsts" was established. The project was the first in Thailand on which complete engineering inves- tigations, plans and specifications were developed prior to the award of a construction contract. It was the first to utilise modern technical specifica- tions and it was, at the time, the largest project to be wholly administered by the Thai Department of Highways.

It was also the first experiment in which contractors made use of equip- ment rented from the Department of Highways. The equipment was sup- plied by the United States Overseas Mission and had been used previous- ly on highway construction and other projects in South East Asia.

The project was mooted in 1957. Engineering proposals were solicited in early 1958 and a contract was sign- ed with Transportation Consultants Inc., (TCI), of Washington, DC, in June 1959. This was a three-party arrangement whereby TCI supplied engineering consultant services to the Thai Department of Highways, with the dollar cost financed by ICA. pre- decessor of AID.

Existing Road

The existing, heavily-trafficked road between Bangkok and Saraburi was in poor condition. The first 4 km. were on the city streets of Bangkok which were concrete paved. partly with a four-lane divided section.

The remainder was a penetration asphalt surface, much of it on a Tel- for base, ranging from 5-6 metres wide, with shoulders varying in width from 1-2 metres.

The base had deteriorated during the years, was rough and uneven, had

WANGHUL

Bridya

Aridy

Bridge ---Bridge

Bridge

Bridge

Bridge

BANGSIT

Bridge

Bridge

DONMUANG AIRPORT

_Km 193

Bridge -

Tawka Wakana Rai

fridge Nyam Wungworn Rd

Km 14.7

Erdg

Bridge

KM/07/

Southern Terminus Bridge

BANGKOK

Use of hand-labour to perform side borrow allowed the contractor to concentrate plant where it was most needed

Far East Architect & Builder October, 1966

61