The Cambodian-Japanese Friendship Bridge, which connects central Phnom Penh to the Chroy Changva peninsula but has a large crack in a support beam, will be completely closed on February 17 to allow for testing of its strength, officials said Sunday.
“We will close for one day and not allow traffic to pass because our experts are required to check the loading capacity of the bridge, so traffic will be allowed only on the Cambodian-Chinese Friendship Bridge,” City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche said, referring to the bridge’s newer sister bridge, which is usually open only to west-bound traffic.
Kim Borey, director-general of the public works and transport department in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said officials will slowly load the bridge with 25 trucks—each weighing 25 tons—to test how bad the crack is.
“We have to check the loading capacity of the bridge,” Mr. Borey said.
City Hall described the bridge as “dilapidated” last year and banned trucks weighing more than three tons from using it.
