The Oriental Highway Company will upgrade the existing Mandalay-Muse two-lane highway to a four-lane asphalt road with a US$ 300 million investment. 
State-run daily newspapers reported on 1 February that the 283-mile long Mandalay-Muse highway will be upgraded at a cost of US$ 1.2 million per mile. 
The Ministry of Construction gave the contract to Asia World Company to build the highway in 1996, 2002 and 2008 as part of a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) deal. 
The highway which is in northern Shan State used to be congested and was frequently blocked between Kutkai and Namphatka resulting in the government giving the Oriental Highway Company the contract to upgrade it. 
The highway passes through Pyinoolwin, Kyaukme, Sibaw, Lashio, Seinni, Kutkai and Namphatka and is part of Asian Highway No. 14 (AH 14). 
The new four-lane highway will begin construction in 2016 and will be completed by 2020.