The partially collapsed section of Phuket’s Highway 4029 running from Patong beach to Kathu was reopened to four-wheel vehicles on Thursday. The road should be open to all vehicles by mid-December, said provincial Governor Narong Woonciew.
The road was closed on October 19 after heavy rain triggered a landslide that ripped away a section of the outer lane. The Phuket District Highway Office launched urgent repair work on the highway, which is the gateway to Patong Hill and normally one of the tourism island’s busiest roads.
On October 24, the road was stabilized to allow pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists to use the lane hugging the hillside.
Narong reported on Thursday that repair work has progressed to allow one lane each way to open for cars and pick-ups.
“Large vehicles such as tour buses and trucks are still not allowed to use the route for safety reasons,” said the governor. Tourist buses heading to Kamala and Kata Karon beaches will have to detour via highways 4028, 4025 or 4030, which will take longer, he added.
Kathu mayor Chaianant Sutthikul said the road’s foundations have been strengthened with boulders and cement to prevent future landslides. Officials have been deployed around the clock to manage traffic at the site until repairs are completed in an estimated 40 days.
Source: The Nation