(KPL) The rehabilitation and maintenance of National Highway No. 9, linking the Dinosaur Roundabout in Kaysone Phomvihane City to the Lao-Vietnam border in Sepon District, Savannakhet Province, has reached 7.12% completion.

The update followed a monitoring visit by the Savannakhet Department of Public Works and Transport to inspect progress along the 233.3-km route.

According to Project Manager Mr. Akkhala Inthavongsa, the project is being implemented under an Output and Performance-Based Road Contract (OPBRC) combined with Public Road Toll Collection (PRTC). The project duration is 10 years, including three years for rehabilitation and seven years for maintenance.

The project is being carried out by the State Enterprise for Road Construction No. 8 and is designed to meet Class III highway standards, supporting axle loads of up to 11 tons.

The rehabilitation aims to improve traffic flow, passenger transport and logistics, while strengthening connectivity with neighboring countries.

Once traffic conditions are fully safe and stable, toll collection is expected to begin in February 2026. The toll will apply only to trucks weighing 12 tons or more, with rates set by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and approved by the government.

Revenue will be collected through a modern electronic system linked with banking platforms and transferred to the Road Fund to finance project payments.

Since construction began in late 2025, the contractor has focused on urgent road repairs to maintain traffic flow, restoring road structures and asphalt surfaces, and constructing four toll collection stations equipped with modern monitoring and payment systems.

KPL