Vientiane Pilots One-Way System On Fa Ngum Road

The Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department is trialing a one-way road scheme in a bid to ease traffic congestion on one of the busiest sections of Fa Ngum Road, which runs alongside the Mekong River in the Sithan-neua area.

The one-way section begins at the T-junction in front of the Mercure hotel on Souphanouvong Road and runs eastwards along Fa Ngum Road to the T-junction at Pakpasak College, over a distance of about one kilometre.

The trial scheme began on Monday and will run for one month.

Deputy Director of the Transport Section of the Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department, Mr Sivon Subtavy, told Vientiane Times yesterday the envisaged transformation of Fa Ngum road in the Sithan-neua area is part of the department’s master plan to improve traffic flow in Vientiane by getting rid of bottlenecks.

“We have stationed officials and traffic police along the road from 7am-10pm to advise motorists about the change,” Mr Sivon said.

Mr Sivon said the Sithan-neua area was considered to be one of the busiest during the rush hour and at night. People parked along both sides of Fa Ngum Road illegally, making the road even narrower and blocking traffic.

After the month’s trial, the department will discuss the results with other sectors before submitting their findings to the Mayor.

The move to introduce a one-way system on this section of Fa Ngum Road comes in the wake of similar changes on another section of Fa Ngum road, Chanthakoummane Road, Kaysone Phomvihane Road and 23 Singha Road.

Source: Vientiane Times