So, we're out on Svay Rieng with the family and on the way while taking the ferry I had a good look at the bridge. About 2-3km before Neak Loeang town they've almost finished a T junction which will lead to the new bridge. The bridge itself is getting there. Looks like 100% of the verticals are up, and the west side has the road layed to the point at the east river edge of the little island there. The east side shows no road development, so I suppose they're just building across rather than meet in the middle.

I can't help but wonder what becomes of the ferry town once this is finished. Ghost town? It's really got nothing else going for it, and I can't imagine the ferry will get much/any traffic (assuming it even stays open) once the bridge is finished. Hell, if they close the ferry... what do they do with the boats!? We could potentially have one bad ass boat party!

Probably the same thing that happened to the ferry guys along the way to Koh Kong... I've heard that bridge was supposed to have been built ages ago (I mean, cm'on! 2014?!) but the ferry owners were stalling the plan. Neak Leung itself will probably fall off the map. I mean, there really isn't much there besides some restaurants and sellers catering to travelers. Prey Veng might see a boost in popularity though.

Not sure about the boats. They're obviously huge boats and I'm not sure if they'd be suited for ferrying on the high seas.

Ahh was there last week going over the river. It looks pretty cool that new bridge. I would assume the ferry's would still be used to a point. I enjoyed the ferry ride. 500 riel. why not? But that town will take a massive hit for sure.

I would imagine the larger trucks coming from Vietnam would use the ferry. I dont know the width of the new bridge but doesnt look very wide.

OrangeDragon wrote:I can't help but wonder what becomes of the ferry town once this is finished. Ghost town? It's really got nothing else going for it, and I can't imagine the ferry will get much/any traffic (assuming it even stays open) once the bridge is finished. Hell, if they close the ferry...

Like Prek Kdam, Route #48, et al, the completion of the bridge will mean the end of the ferries (well, they might find some minor use for them). Funding became available to build that bridge in 1997. It took more than a decade to get the project going and it has been moving at a snail's pace since. If there weren't so much money being made by some Lok Thom in there being no bridge, they would have had that bridge completed back in 2003 or so. Back in the 80s and early 90s there were ferries because there was no bridge, but since the late 90s there is no bridge because there are (very lucrative) ferries.

Is the bridge still scheduled for completion in the beginning of 2015?