Road 13 upgrade over 40 percent complete

The upgrade of National Road 13 North between Sikeuth village in the capital’s Naxaithong district and Phonhong district in Vientiane province is now over 40 percent complete.
The upgrade consists of road surface improvement and the installation of drainage channels along both sides of the road.
The road is made of reinforced concrete and is 58km in length. The first section is 23 metres wide with a sidewalk measuring 1.5 metres in width, while the second section covers 13-16 metres; Deputy Manager of National Road 13 North Rehabilitation Project Mr Souk Vongsa reported.
The upgrade began on October 28, 2019, and will be finished at the beginning of 2023, with 41.47 percent of the work now complete.
The work is being carried out in two phases. The first phase involves a 19.4-km section between Sikeuth and Songpeuay villages in Vientiane’s Naxaithong district and the second phase covers 38.6km from Songpeuay village to Phonhong district in Vientiane province.  
The project is funded by the World Bank, the Nordic Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Fund, and the government’s Road Fund.
After the work is complete, maintenance work will continue for another seven years. While work is being carried out, people who use the road will encounter traffic problems in some places, which may be flooded.
National Road 13 is the country’s main arterial link to neighbouring countries.
Many sections are now being upgraded after suffering damage during successive wet seasons, compounded by increasing numbers of heavy trucks. Its poor condition has generated a barrage of complaints from motorists.
The road is the most important highway in Laos, connecting to China in the north and Cambodia in the south over a total length of 1,500km. It also serves as a vital logistics link to Vietnam and Thailand.
A 78-km section of National Road 13 South from km190 to km168 in Borikhamxay and Khammuan provinces will also be upgraded to improve conditions on the transport artery.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has signed an agreement with the China International Water and Electric Corporation on the repair and maintenance of the road.
The contract covers the improvement and maintenance of this section, which is vital to ensure adequate transport conditions on the country’s most important link to both the southern and northern provinces.

By Phomphong Laoin
 (Latest Update September 10, 2021)