Chiang Mai seeks funds for mass-transit system
Chiang Mai municipality is seeking a budget to support the launch of the city's new mass-transit system, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which will provide service on four main routes covering a total distance of 106 kilometres.
The first phase of the operation will last three to 10 years, after which the routes will be expanded to offer wider access to residents. "Chiang Mai's new mass-transit system is worth investing in, considering the increase of pollution and traffic congestion", said Mayor Boonlert Buranupakorn. The transit system was planned by the Office of Traffic Policy and Planning and Chiang Mai University's Engineering Service Centre, and the master plan, feasibility study and design are all now complete. The buses will use natural gas for vehicles and a digital system. The working group expects the construction of the system to start by next year and full operation to be launched by the end of 2010. The BRT will be administered by local organisations, the private sector and relevant agencies. "The new administration will bring in profits unlike the current bus service, which is being administrated by the municipality alone," explained Boonlert.
The Nation Citylife Chiang Mai
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