Construction of the Kingdom’s first-ever highway, stretching 190 kilometres to connect Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, was confirmed to start in November.

The highway will begin in Phnom Penh’s Chaom Chao area, starting at street Tom Nop Kop Srov, which links national roads 4 and 5, according to Va Simsorya, spokesman at the Ministry of Public Works.

“Minister Sun Chanthol has already confirmed that construction of the expressway will begin in November as planned,” Mr Simsorya said on Friday.

“The site is now being prepared for the upcoming construction work.”

China Road and Bridge Corporation, who has been granted the project, has also said they are ready to begin work, Mr Simsorya said.

The highway will be built on a build-operate-transfer basis, with the Chinese firm reaching a deal with the Cambodian government in January.

The government is now working on a compensation plan for people affected by the project, Mr Simsorya added.

The thoroughfare will come at a cost of nearly $2 billion, and it will stretch over 190 kilometres – shorter than the current road, which runs for 240 kilometres. It will have four lanes for the majority of its run and will take four years to complete.