New road paves way for development

A 32-kilometre road running from the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge to Dongphosy and Huaymarkhiew has been resurfaced – a process that took almost three years – but the recent completion of the much-needed upgrade is a great relief to the people of Hadxaifong district.
This road follows the Mekong River through Hadxaifong district and links up with the 450 Road and Thanalaeng train station. After years of suffering appalling conditions, motorists are finally enjoying driving on a decent road surface, while those living alongside no longer have to put up with clouds of dust and deep potholes every day.
And the easier driving conditions mean locals and commercial vehicles can drive more quickly and cut travel times.
A 26.2-km section of the road has a 10-metre wide asphalt surface. In addition, six kilometres of embankment, which is four metres wide, have been built alongside the road in areas near the Mekong River.
The road upgrade and the embankment were completed at the end of January.
The embankment will prevent flooding and the upgraded road will provide easier passage for the increasing number of vehicles travelling through Vientiane.

Vehicles can now drive smoothly on the new road.

The road was built to standards laid down by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and also complies with Asean standards. It can withstand truck loads of up to 11 tonnes per axle.
The upgrade began in April 2016. The total cost of US$10.2 million was funded by the Asian Development Bank in the form of a low interest loan.
A resident of Nalong village, MrHatsy, said the resurfacing of the road was a major improvement for everyone living in the area and for motorists driving through.
“Like everyone else, I’m really happy the road work is finally finished because now driving conditions to and from the city are very good,” he said.
“Many people use this road every day to get to work. Now that it’s been resurfaced it reduces the time taken to get to the city centre for people living in Hadxaifong and Pakngum districts.
“I think it will benefit businesses as well. I also think it will make the development of villages in the area much easier. The road upgrade has made a big impact on everyone’s lives. Driving has never been as fast or as comfortable as it is now and it feels much safer,” he added.
MrHatsy said all the houses and buildings along the road look much nicer now that they are not always covered in dust. “Now that we’ve got a good road the whole area looks better.”
“But people living along the road and all motorists who use it should do their best to keep the road clean and try to maintain it as best they can so that it stays in good condition.”
Mrs May Chansavong, a resident of Makhiew village in Pakngum district, said “I’m extremely glad that the road upgrade is finished. Life is so much more pleasant. I use this road every day to get to the city centre and it’s so nice to drive on it.”
“We’ve waited for several years for the work to be finished, and we had to put up with many problems while it was unsurfaced. We suffered a great deal while it was in such a deplorable state for so long,” she said.
“The road used to be dirty and terrible the whole year round. In the dry season it was dusty, and when it rained it was muddy and there were potholes and loose stones everywhere. Now it’s very clean. It’s important that every road user makes an effort to keep the road as clean as it is now. Drivers should be careful not to speed and should do their best to avoid accidents, which can damage the road and barriers,” she added.
Apart from the resurfaced road, a new water supply facility has opened in Hadxaifong district in Nalong village. This pumps water to one village in Hadxaifong and two villages in Pakngum district. Piping is currently being installed so that water can be delivered to numerous households.
The facility has the capacity to supply about 1,500 cubic metres of water per day. More than 100 families have registered to be connected to the system.
They will have clean, piped water, which will make their lives a great deal easier. They normally use water from a well or pump, but it’s not as clean as treated and piped water.
Local residents said they were very happy about the prospect of piped water and the ways in which they would benefit.

By VisithTeppalath
(Latest Update March 14, 2019)