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Counterflow lanes in Bangkok, Thailand
I almost forgot again about this set of photos showing the implementation of a counterflow scheme along a long stretch of road in Bangkok. Heading out of Bangkok, I was able to take photos of the counterflow lanes and variable traffic signs used for this purpose. We were northbound meaning we were traveling outbound of the metropolis and opposed to the peak direction (southbound was inbound to Bangkok).
Approaching an overpass where variable traffic signs are installed overhead (i.e., on a gantry).
It is easy to see which lanes are assigned for our direction and which ones for the opposite flow.
On the overpass, you can see that the variable signs are installed at regular intervals. There are a few cones that act as physical separators (not really barriers) between opposing flows.
Sort of a close up of the variable signs and a cone. I assume the cones are placed there by traffic authorities. They might be transferred to the other side of the overpass if the counterflow was in favor of our direction.
Another photo showing the installed variable signs towards the other end of the overpass.
Four lanes are assigned to inbound traffic while only two are for outbound traffic.
At the foot of the overpass is a pedestrian overpass. The stairs appear to be quite steep based on the photo. I’m not aware of criticisms of the pedestrian footbridges in Bangkok. I would have to ask my Thai friends about their designs.
Another overpass where all lanes are assigned to the southbound direction
The parked vehicle on the chevron is with the traffic authority of Bangkok.
I actually started writing this in April last year. I will try to finish some drafts I started last year this month while also posting about my recent travel to Bicol.
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Counterflow irony along Ortigas Avenue Extension, Pasig City
One Friday, I traveled to Ortigas Center from Antipolo via the most direct route using Ortigas Avenue Extension. I was not surprised by the counterflow scheme being implemented starting from De Castro all the way to Rosario Bridge. I was also not surprised that the more congested lane was the counterflow lane. I thought everyone expected the main traffic lanes to be congested as PUVs like jeepneys, buses and vans usually create bottlenecks as they block traffic while passengers board/alight along that section of Ortigas Avenue Extension. Here is what you might encounter in terms of traffic if you opt to stay along the westbound traffic lanes:
Traffic before the Manggahan floodway bridge at what was generally called Mariwasa. The Filinvest residential development on the left used to be the Mariwasa tiles plant.
Traffic after the crossing the bridge. Note the pedestrian overpass in the photo.
Meters after and near the overpass, you can already see the build-up in the Rosario area
The Rosario bridge area is usually congested not just because of the PUV operations but also because there is the junction of Ortigas Avenue Extension and Amang Rodriguez Avenue, which is another major thoroughfare connecting this area to other parts of Pasig, Quezon City and Marikina City.
I will post about the counterflow scheme in Bangkok in the next post.
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More nuts on the road and a simple solution for traffic congestion
I have written recently about reckless drivers including one that drove as he was “busy” with his girlfriend in the car. The latter, however, is more an exceptional case rather than one you’d commonly find in our roads. Perhaps the most annoying behaviour by what I term as “nuts” on the road, is counter-flowing. Counter-flowing often happens along undivided roads (no median islands or barriers to split opposing traffic). Traveling home one afternoon, we took the bridge from C5 and the Marikina Riverbanks Road to Santolan, Pasig.
I think we all thought that the driver of this Honda Civic was bold enough to have been able to cover a long distance before opposing traffic collectively forced the driver to back off.
While counter-flowing is dangerous and obviously a traffic violation, there seems to be few if any apprehensions regarding this behaviour. Such non-enforcement of traffic rules and regulations lead to more drivers and riders to be encouraged to counter-flow just so they could get ahead of all the others before them who did follow traffic rules by queuing properly. For one, there are issues of police or enforcer visibility in many areas, and when they are visible they are usually busy managing traffic at intersections and or watching out for number coding violations rather than enforcing all the other traffic rules and regulations that can be more or equally important than number coding violations in terms of their impacts on traffic. One such violation is counter-flowing that often leads to severe traffic congestion as counter-flowing vehicle block opposing traffic and force their way in front of queued vehicles. I think this has caused a lot more problems, congestion and safety-wise than number coding violations, and deserve to get more attention from traffic enforcers and managers looking for solutions to the traffic mess we encounter everyday.
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Caught (up) in traffic 