YANGON, January 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar is making efforts to
upgrade its bridges on highways in the country, especially those
on the Yangon-Mandalay highway where traffic is the heaviest in
the country.
   Yangon-Mandalay highway is the one linking Myanmar's capital
and its second largest city and is also the artery connecting
northern and southern part of the country with about 5,000 cars
running daily on the highway.
   According to sources at the Myanmar Ministry of Construction
Wednesday, existing bridges on the Yangon-Mandalay highway are
being rebuilt into modern ones to raise their load-withstanding
capacity from the previous 13 tons to 60 tons.
   Meanwhile, six private construction companies have been
assigned by the government to upgrade the Yangon-Mandalay highway
into a six-lane one from the present four-lane's.
   According to the ministry, Myanmar has built 144 bridges since
1988 when the present government took office and other official
statistics show that the country has so far built 6,819 kilometers
of motor roads since then with its total length extending to 28,
758.6 kilometers now.
   Meanwhile, the country also designated 80 motor roads with a
length of 24,659 kilometers as its union highways.  Enditem