A bridge being constructed over the Mekong River will connect the provinces of Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum once completed.

Nou Vannak, director of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s technical department, told Post Property that construction works had recently started, however no official announcement of a new bridge had been made by the department.

According to Vannak, the bridge is 13.5 metres wide and 1.13 kilometres in length. The construction of the bridge is estimated to cost more than $5 million.

“This bridge is a very important connection between Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum, which are strong economic provinces,” Vannak said.

He believes the bridge will be able to ease traffic congestion and provide an efficient route for agricultural produce transportation.

Currently, crossing that area of the Mekong River requires a ferry from Neak Leung in Prey Veng province.

It’s understood the government is also planning to build another bridge connecting the Chhloung district to Prek Prasob in Kratie province, but it is not yet clear when that project would start.

Last week’s World Bank economic report highlighted the need to invest in quality infrastructure to ensure the long-term economic growth of the Kingdom.

Mey Kalyan, senior adviser to the Supreme National Economic Council, said the government had been making infrastructure development a priority as of late, but encouraged the government to speed up new infrastructure projects.

“Cambodia’s economy is accelerating, but to sustain long-term growth and take one leap ahead, developing infrastructure is a must,” he said.

Fung Hoykhey, a resident in the Steung Trang district in Kampong Cham province, whose house will be close to the new bridge said everyone in the area was upbeat about the bridge development.

“Having the bridge in the near future will make transportation and travelling a lot easier,” he said.

“All the residents in Steung Trang are very happy to hear about the construction of this bridge because it will help expedite transportation between the people in the two provinces.”