Phnom Penh, 4 June: The long-awaited expressway linking Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville is 51.35% complete. It is on track to be finished by the end of May 2023.

When finished, the expressway will run for almost 190 kilometres, from Village 1 of Sangkat Samrong Krom in Phnom Penh’s Khan Pou Senchey to Village 1 of Sihanoukville’s Sangkat 3. It’ll reduce the travel time between the two cities to approximately two hours.

There are just a handful of issues outstanding with the affected local communites, but the Ministry of Transport says it expects to have those resolved soon. It has also praised the construction team for continuing unabated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

By the time it has been finished, the expressway will have cost approximately US$2-billion, invested by the China Bridge and Road Corporation (CRBC) through Cambodian PPSHV Expressway Co., Ltd. It will be a dual carriageway, allowing a top speed of up to 120km/h along certain stretches. There will be a three metre-wide divider, and a red gravel sidewalk on each side.

The 186.86 kilometres of expressway will take you over 263 sewers, five small bridges, 80 medium-length bridges and 80 long bridges, as well as through seven traffic diversion roads, 28 intersections, 237 underpasses and 20 flyovers. Service areas, parking lots, maintenance centres and nine toll booths are also being constructed.