A 42-kilometer road from the Laos- Japanese Mekong Bridge and the Vangtao-Songmek (Laos-Thailand) international border check point is now 70% built and will be opened for public use next year, says its developer. the US$30-million project by Douangdy road and bridge construction company is being carried out under a build-operate-transfer contract. champassak province is improving its basic infrastructure, and especially roads, ahead of the start of the Asean economic community at the end of this year. The private company will operate the road for 45 years after it is put info public use.