Why the project of building 6 flyovers worth 2,000 billion VND in Binh Duong is changed to underground tunnels

On March 12, the Binh Duong Provincial People’s Committee announced that the Binh Duong Province Public Infrastructure Improvement Project, which is part of Group A projects, has a total investment capital of over VND 2,000 billion (approximately $86 million). It is expected that the Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan will provide more than VND 1,300 billion (approximately $56 million), and the counterpart funding from the province will be over VND 700 billion (approximately $30 million).

The project includes several main items such as 6 overpasses at major intersections on My Phuoc Tan Van Road (which is the main road connecting Binh Duong to Ho Chi Minh City and passes through many industrial zones). Additionally, the project will implement a high-speed bus route connecting the new Binh Duong City and Suoi Tien Station, which is over 30km long. The project is scheduled to be implemented from 2019 to 2025.

However, the current 15km section of My Phuoc Tan Van Road, which is part of the Binh Duong Province Public Infrastructure Improvement Project supported by the Japanese Government’s ODA loan, overlaps with the Ho Chi Minh City Belt Road 3 project.

Prior to the project approval, the government had not made a decision to construct Ho Chi Minh City Belt Road 3. The section of Ho Chi Minh City Belt Road 3 in Binh Duong Province is about 26km long, including a 15km section that overlaps with My Phuoc Tan Van Road and the high-speed bus route. According to the initial plan, the overlapping section with the bus route was supposed to be a high overpass with 4 lanes connecting Ho Chi Minh City via Belt Road 3 to Binh Duong. However, to maximize the project’s effectiveness, Binh Duong has adjusted this overlapping section to an underground tunnel.

According to the Binh Duong Provincial People’s Committee, this project is being submitted to the relevant authorities for early approval in the correct order and schedule. To achieve the highest efficiency for the project, representatives from Japan and Binh Duong need time for discussion to make the necessary adjustments.

My Phuoc Tan Van Road is over 60km long and passes through many industrial zones. During peak hours, the road frequently experiences traffic congestion at intersections. Mainly, container trucks and heavy-duty trucks pass through My Phuoc Tan Van Road. On average, 15 containers leave Binh Duong every minute.

In addition to My Phuoc Tan Van Road, Binh Duong Province has started the construction of the first underground tunnel on National Highway 13 (also known as Binh Duong Avenue). The construction of the underground tunnel at the Phuoc Kien Junction is classified as a grade-II road transport tunnel project. It is being invested and built to solve traffic congestion and ensure traffic safety for vehicles passing through the Phuoc Kien Junction, improving the traffic capacity of National Highway 13, Pham Ngoc Thach Avenue, Huynh Van Cuu Street, and Nguyen Van Tiet Street at the junction area.

The total investment capital for this project is over VND 1,000 billion (approximately $43 million) from the provincial budget. The tunnel is made of reinforced concrete with a design lifespan of 100 years. The static design does not include a 5m tunnel, and the design speed for the tunnel and the road leading to the tunnel on both sides is 40km/h. The tunnel runs from Huynh Van Cuu Street to Pham Ngoc Thach Avenue. The entrance roads on both ends of the tunnel are approximately 229.60m, and the length of the tunnel route is about 629.96m.