Construction companies bidding for the last two stages of the National Road Number 4 (NR4) improvement project are in the final stages of the government’s selection process. The World Bank is financing the project with $110 million, with construction divided into seven stages. Three of the stages have already broken ground while construction companies for the other two stages are preparing building materials at construction sites, Sun Chanthol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, said yesterday while heading a team of officials and construction company representatives to inspect the project. The first three stages broke ground last December as planned, he added, citing that 15% of construction had been completed so far. “The implementation of the first three construction stages is considered good although a few places have been found to be below standard,” Chanthol said. “The ministry is forming a working group tasked to make regular inspection visits to construction sites to test the quality of roads,” the minister said. Construction companies for the last two stages of the project are being selected, he said. Under the project, NR4, linking Phnom Penh capital and coastal Preah Sihanouk province, will be widened from seven metres to 10 metres, with some sections of the road widened to 11 metres and some parts will be have four lanes. The project will also improve some of the 48 concrete bridges and drains along the road, with the construction of eight new bridges to improve traffic flow and prevent flooding. The construction and improvement of NR4 starts from Bek Chan commune, Ang Snuol district in Kandal province to Bit Trang commune, Prey Nup district in Preah Sihanouk province. The project officially started in December 2021, and is scheduled for completion in December 2026. The NR4 stretches more than 230 kilometres, linking the capital and the deep seaport in Preah Sihanouk province. The road was built during the 1950s as a legacy of the relationship between Cambodia and the US. The government is currently building the country’s 190-kilometre Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway. The road is scheduled to be opened for temporary use in September. The toll is under discussion with toll-free use being considered for a trial period, according to the ministry.