The Ministry of Public Works has unveiled a project to expand the entire National Road 6 from the current two lanes to four lanes to facilitate travel of people and transportation of goods.
The ministry first conducted a feasibility study on the project, said Minister Sun Chanthol at the opening ceremony of the Public Works Service Center in Siem Reap province on Wednesday.
The study was divided into two parts. First, the southern section between Kampong Cham’s Batheay district and Kampong Thom province. The second section is between Kampong Thom province and Siem Reap province.
“The ministry conducted a feasibility study on road improvement in a section between the Skun area (Batheay district) to Siem Reap province (widening the road) from two lanes to four lanes,” he said.
National Road 6 stretches over 320 kilometres between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap province and plays a vital role for tourism development and trade activity since it connects Phnom Penh to Siem Reap province, the home of the Angkor world heritage site, he said.
Sin Chanthy, president of Cambodia Logistics Association, said yesterday that the road improvement would enhance the transport and logistics sectors.
“National Road 6 is important because of its connection to many provinces. Goods transportation and people’s travels can use road number 6 if the road expands wider because it saves time and reduces cost,” he said.
National Road 6 was built in stages. The improved 40-kilometre section stretching from Phnom Penh to Batheay district of Kampong Cham province was put into use in 2017.
That section cost $70 million, in which $68 million was a concessional loan from the Chinese government and the remaining amount was covered by the Cambodian government.
The 251-kilometre section of National Road 6 from Kampong Cham province northwest to Siem Reap province was inaugurated in 2018.