First Cambodia overpass road cut ribbon by PM

Prime Minister Hun Sen inauguarated first overpass on Thursday 24 June 2010. This overpass would help to avoid traffic jame along Preah Monivong Boulevard. The new "Sky bridge" costs of US$ 6 million, it is the first overpass in Cambodia. It was born. There will be second, thirsd, fourth and so on.

PM Hun Sen annouced that the municipality is conducting a feasibility study for a second overpass -- this one to be build on Russian Federation Blvd near Preah Kossamak Hospital- that he said would help to faciliate the dialy commute of around 170, 000 vehicles and 800,000 motorbikes.

Sem Panhavuth, Road Crash and Victim Information System project manager at Handicap International Belgium, said the premier was wise to draw attention to the benefits of wearing a helmet.

“According to our data ... the number of motorbike fatalities from head injuries decreased from 86 percent in 2008 to 76 percent in 2009 because more people are wearing helmets,” he said.

In 2008, there were 297 road fatalities in Phnom Penh and 1,638 throughout Cambodia, while last year saw 243 road fatalities in the capital and 1,717 throughout the Kingdom, he said.

Phnom Penh traffic police chief Heng Chantheary said he estimated that 90 to 95 percent of the public obeyed traffic laws, and that most violators were young people.

“In general, we have seen that the number of traffic accidents has decreased because more people are respecting the laws these days,” he said.
“Accidents usually occur when people are driving drunk or driving over the speed limit.”
(source from Phnompenh post newspaper, Friday 25 June 2010)