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New six-lane road gets green light
Vientiane authorities have contracted a private company to build a new six-lane highway linking Kamphaengmeuang Road and 450 Year Road across the That Luang Marsh.
The new 6-7km concrete road will link the Phonthan t-junction to the villages of Nonway and Nakhuay before connecting with the 450 Year Road.
The authorities reached an agreement with the Namtha Road and Bridge Construction Company in Vientiane last Friday, paving the way for the start of construction.
The project is part of the government's policy to convert land into capital by reserving plots on either side of the road for later sale, to cover the cost of construction.
Transport officials told Vientiane Times yesterday the company will initially pay for the cost of construction and Vientiane authorities will re-pay the company over a five year period. The project is expected to cost about US$70 million.
The project design has been approved by the Vientiane authorities. Work is expected to begin soon and is set for completion within three years.
The project will be carried out along similar lines to the construction of the 450 Year Road. Vientiane authorities plan to purchase land along either side of the road from local residents and set it aside for sale to businesses once the road has been built.
However, it is unclear how many metres of land will be reserved, or how much compensation the present occupiers will get.
One of the main reasons for building the road is to open up access to the industrial zone in the Km 21 area of Xaythany district. The road will also be a major link between central Vientiane and the southern provinces.
At present, motorists can only use Kaysone Phomvihane Road to travel to or from the south. The new road will help to minimise traffic congestion along Kaysone Phomvihane Road and in Vientiane as a whole.
The road is part of the city's plans for expansion and aims to provide better facilities and encourage businesses to move out of the city centre.
The road will play an active role in reducing traffic congestion and encouraging more investment in the suburbs. Vientiane is becoming increasingly congested as more vehicles choke the narrow streets.
The authorities plan to pave the new road with concrete and turn it into a valuable resource after seeing the success of the newly built 450 Year Road.
The project is in line with the draft master plan for developing Vientiane until 2030. Under the plan, the capital will be developed into several sub-centres, to enable growth and alleviate congestion in the city centre.
vientiane times
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