The Kampong Cham Provincial Administration will temporarily suspend traffic on National Road 7 on January 8 and 9, as it hosts a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion and upgrading of the road from one of four lanes. The ceremony will be presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

According to a January 4 announcement, the ceremony will take place on January 9 in Taing Kork village of Prey Chhor district’s Lvea commune.

The road will be closed to all forms of traffic from the intersection of Prey Toteung Market in Prey Chhor district’s Chrey Vien commune to the Skun Roundabout in Cheung Prey district’s So Tip commune.

“Vehicles travelling from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham must detour at the roundabout in Bakhom village, Sampong Chey commune, Cheung Prey district and take road 60 to Prey Toteung market, Chrey Vien commune, Prey Chhor district. They will then detour on Route 270 through Kang Meas district,” said the announcement.

The administration detailed the route that those heading from Kampong Cham to Kampong Thom should follow.

“They must detour in Treng in Kampong Siem district’s O’Svay commune and take Street 71 through Chamkar Leu district,” it added.

At the end of December, Kampong Cham provincial governor Un Chanda led a meeting to plan security and organise the logistics of the ceremony.

The expansion to four lanes will take place over a total length of 45.48km, from the Skun Market roundabout to the Kizuna Bridge roundabout in Kampong Cham town. The $115 million project will be carried out by China Bridge and Road Corporation, and is expected to take 36 months to complete.