BANGKOK TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROJECT

The Bangkok traffic management project, commenced by the Royal Thai Government in 1978 with a World Bank loan, illustrates evolving project implementation, scheme monitoring, research, local expertise development and institutional building. This paper describes the following aspects of this eight year project: a) overall transport policies considered and adopted; b) role of traffic engineering and signal coordination (including the first-stage city centre traffic control system) in increasing the efficiency of existing streets and junctions; c) before and after studies of key schemes; d) impact of police enforcement and training; e) establishment of local professional expertise through all forms of training; f) remaining implementation programme including the form of the new major traffic signal control system; g) research programme into traffic engineering parameters; h) changing institutional responsibilities and staffing requirements brought about by project evolution. The paper concentrates on recent approaches and plans to relieve traffic congestion in Bangkok, a city of 5 million people. For the covering abstract of the seminar see IRRD 283718. (TRRL)