Russian Blvd’s flyover project in Phnom Penh begins March

Phnom Penh Municipal Hall officials are continuing discussions on the new flyover project planned for the Russian Federation Blvd intersection with St 2004 and St 2011 at the Century Plaza traffic light in Por Sen Chey district’s Kakap I commune.

Sam Piseth, director of the municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, said the flyover is intended to ease traffic congestion near the Phnom Penh International Airport.

Piseth said the project will begin in March 2022 and should be ready in 14 months, but from now until the start of construction, experts will study the bypass and conduct impact studies.

He said the interchange has total length of 516.2m with a 233.9m-long overpass.

Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng said that to complete the new flyover as planned, construction workers would be working both day and night on the project with the goal of opening it for use prior to Cambodia hosting the 2023 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

“This project will show us how big the impact is and what the costs are so that we can deal with traffic congestion in the area over the long run,” he said.

Sreng said that while the flyover and underpass at the Chaom Chao roundabout at the west corner of the airport will be put into operation in the near future, traffic congestion is still expected to occur along Russian Federation Blvd.

The Russian Blvd project will be the seventh flyover in the capital, with Chaom Chao nearly finished as the sixth. The completed five have significantly reduced traffic congestion near their locations, in Meanchey, Tuol Kork and Sen Sok districts.

Kim Pagna, director of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, said the construction of the flyovers really helps to improve traffic flow, but at the same time he suggested that relevant officials consider ways to facilitate traffic during their construction period.

“The municipal hall . . . should consider facilitating traffic by opening a detour so as not to cause too much congestion and wasted time,” he said.

Lay Samean 

The Phnom Penh Post