32TS.25

 

25. NEW PHNOM KULEN ROAD:

a) The access road to Phnom Kulen from the west is very narrow with sharp turns and carries heavy traffic, especially on weekends and holidays. The ICC therefore recommends keeping the status quo: one-way up from 8:00 a.m. till noon and one-way down the rest of the time.
b) The ad hoc group of experts is not in favor of the “Mega Zip Line” project. The Phnom Kulen site is not up for the development of activities other than the existing tourist activities or only if it involves tourism focused on the archaeological sites. The ad hoc group of experts thus invites the ICC to recommend that a strong integrated ecotourism project for the PNPK be designed, that the group will review on the basis of a background study to be submitted to them.
c) The ICC recommends as a matter of urgency putting in erosion control on slopes on both sides the new road before it enters Anlong Thom, based on technical direction from the appropriate APSARA National Authority departments.
d) The ICC requests that the dangerous large boulders threatening to fall on the road be removed or that rock-control devices be put in on the eastern slope of Phnom Kulen to protect the road from rock slides.
e) Given the low archaeological potential currently seen by the APSARA National Authority’s Department of Archaeology, the ICC approves the excavation of 1-meter wide trenches on either side of the old road where in goes through Anlong Thom village but keeping as many trees as possible.
f) The experts commend the APSARA National Authority departments for the quality of the study and documents made regarding the outstanding and/or dangerous boulders along the existing road right-of-way west of Phnom Kulen.
They make the following recommendations to the ICC:
i) At station PK0+700, allow widening to the right of the road just before the curve where a first prayer stop is located and where many vehicles come to park (realizing too that the steep terrain is very fragile at this point).
ii) At station PK1+040, allow widening of the road on the left side at the last curve on the ascent.
iii) At station PK1+100, allow destruction of the boulder to the right that is dangerous and obscures the view in a curve.
iv) At station PK1+200, cover the boulders to the left using protective netting.
v) At station PK1+ 400, destroy the large boulder to the left threatening to slide onto the road.
vi) At station PK2 +000, cover the boulders with protective netting.
vii) At station PK9+000, widen the road on the left (by about 1 m) to give more space in relation to the large boulders on the right side.
viii) At station PK27+400, (1) inventory the unstable boulders threatening the road on the eastern slope and either ensure their stability or cause them to fall pre-emptively, safely of course, or destroy them; (2) use protective devices where there is a risk of a landslide on either side of the road.