"The construction of a new road and bridge near the existing Goke Hteik Railway viaduct in western Shan State will begin this year, the Ministry of Construction has announced. The major infrastructure project along the Mandalay-Muse road, a significant border-trade route, is expected to significantly boost the transportation of goods between China and Myanmar once it is completed. The Gote Twin section of the road between Nawngcho and Goke Hteik, along the Mandalay-Muse road, was built during colonial times and the rail bridge on the route is now over 100 years old. The road is also narrow and has many curves and turns. Currently, trucks can take up to three hours to travel the Goke Twin stretch. During the rainy season, trucks can skid and cause traffic jams, said U Sai Kyaw, general secretary of Rice Merchants Association of Mandalay, adding that the stretch is one of the areas that see the highest number of accidents in western Shan State. “Whenever an accident happens along the Gote Twin stretch, traffic congestion as long as six to 10 hours can occur, seriously delaying the flow of goods,” U Sai Kyaw said..."