The bridge will link Myanmar’s Highway 4 and Lao Highway 17 in the latter’s Luang Namtha Province. Authorities in both nations stated when construction started at the beginning of 2013 that the bridge would facilitate trade and tourism. At present, the only way of crossing the Mekong in this part of the world is by river-ferry.
The construction has dual carriageways in each direction plus one-metre-wide footpaths for pedestrian traffic. It is 691 metres long and designed to accommodate trucks up to 75 tons in weight in addition to endure earthquakes with a Richter 7 magnitude.
Laos and Myanmar are jointly sharing the US$26 million cost of the Friendship Bridge. The Mekong bridge will provide the first road link between the two Southeast Asian nations. Laos and Thailand currently share four river bridges across the Mekong and these have boosted both trade figures and tourist arrivals.
Myanmar Laos river bridge almost finished
News in Asia
A new bridge spanning the Mekong River and linking Myanmar to Laos is set to open in two months time. Lao media sources say the Laos-Myanmar Friendship Bridge is 95 per cent finished and should be complete next month ahead of the official opening ceremonies.