WORK on twinning Phnom Penh’s Cambodian-Japanese Friendship Bridge has begun, though the official groundbreaking will be held later in 2011, said Ministry of Public Works and Transport Deputy Director General Thy Sophorn said yesterday.

The bridge is designed to ease traffic flow in the city, and is scheduled to take 38 months to build, he said.

"A second Chruoy Changvar bridge will officially start construction on the 2nd of November this year, though now we are preparing the foundation,” he said.

Minister of Public Works and Transport Tram Iv Tek and representatives from the Chinese Bridge and Road Corporation signed a deal to build the twin bridge in September 2010. The bridge will span the Tonle Sap river from the capital’s Toul Sangke commune to Chruoy Changvar commune. The US$27.5 million project is financed by a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, and includes a 719-metre long bridge as well as a roundabout on the river’s eastern bank and two access roads, according to a document previously obtained by The Post.

The twinned bridge is to be called the Cambodian-Chinese Friendship Bridge.

Ministry Director General Kim Borey said the bridge would officially begin construction in November at the same time as a Chinese-funded 795-metre long bridge connecting Takhmao town in Kandal province with Kien Svay district.

Late last year, trucks and vehicles with 25 or more seats were banned from crossing the Cambodian-Japanese Friendship Bridge in a bid to ease traffic congestion. They have been forced to use the Prek Phnov toll bridge.