Upgradation works have commenced on the 148 km National Road 48 in the Koh Kong province, Cambodia. The road is a part of the ASEAN Highway No. 123, which starts in Vietnam and ends in Thailand. The USD65.14 million highway project will be financed under a grant from the Government of Korea provided through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), the country’s official development aid (ODA).
The new NR 48 will feature four lanes over a 25.1 km section of the highway and two lanes for the remaining 122 km. Additionally, four new bridges and 140 culverts will be added to increase traffic capacity and reduce the possibility of congestion. Traffic safety equipment will also be installed along the road. The project is expected to be completed in June 2024.
The old NR 48 was built to last for five to eight years if properly maintained according to technical requirements and if weight limits for vehicles were maintained. However, traffic on the highway has increased beyond initial capacity, with 3,339 vehicles each day, including 1,962 cars and trucks and 1,377 motorcycles.
