Construction of Two Major Highway Projects Completed in Vietnam
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Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and other officials cut the ribbon to officially open the Cam Lâm – Vĩnh Hảo Expressway and the section of the Diễn Châu – Bãi Vọt Expressway from Diễn Châu to National Highway 46B. (Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc) |
The construction project for several sections of the North-South Expressway in the eastern region from 2017 to 2020, with a total length of 654 km, was divided into 11 component projects (three PPP projects and eight public investment projects).
To date, nine component projects have been completed and put into operation, with a total length of 525 km, including: Cao Bồ – Mai Sơn section (15 km); Mai Sơn – QL45 (63 km); QL45 – Nghi Sơn (43 km); Nghi Sơn – Diễn Châu (50 km); Cam Lộ – La Sơn (98 km); Nha Trang – Cam Lâm (PPP project, 49 km); Vĩnh Hảo – Phan Thiết (101 km); Phan Thiết – Dầu Giây (99 km); and Mỹ Thuận 2 bridge and approach roads (7 km).
With the two PPP projects Diễn Châu – Bãi Vọt and Cam Lâm – Vĩnh Hảo inaugurated, the total length of expressway put into operation to date is 634 km.
Cam Lâm – Vĩnh Hảo project is 79 km long, with a total investment of 8.925 billion VND; of which, the investor’s capital is about 3.786 billion VND; the state capital participating in the project is about 5.139 billion VND. The project is implemented by a consortium of Đèo Cả Group, Đèo Cả Construction Company, and Construction Investment Corporation 194.
During the pilot phase, the project was invested with a cross-section of 4 lanes, a roadbed width of 17 m, and an operating speed of 90 km/h. In the completion phase, the project is designed to meet expressway standards, with a design speed of 100-120 km/h.
Cam Lâm – Vĩnh Hảo is the final section of expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Nha Trang. Together with the four sections that were previously completed, it has helped reduce the travel time for this section to only 4-5 hours, half of the time it took to travel on National Highway 1.
The Diễn Châu – Bãi Vọt project is 49.3 km long, with a total project investment of over 11.157 billion VND; the investor’s capital is about 5.090 billion VND; the state capital participating in the project is about 6.067 billion VND.
During the pilot phase, the project was designed with 4 lanes and a roadbed width of 17 m. In the completion phase, the project is designed with a design speed of 100-120 km/h, except for the Thần Vũ tunnel, which has a design speed of 80 km/h.
Currently, the Diễn Châu – Bãi Vọt route will be opened for traffic for nearly 30 km from Diễn Châu to the intersection of National Highway 46B, Hưng Tây commune, Hưng Nguyên district. The remaining section of about 19 km will be opened for traffic later due to the prolonged settlement of weak soil.
This route, together with National Highway 45 – Nghi Sơn and Nghi Sơn – Diễn Châu, creates a continuous north-south axis from Pháp Vân Expressway (Hanoi) to Vinh City (Nghệ An) with a total length of 280 km. The project contributes to reducing the travel time from Hanoi to Vinh City (Nghệ An) from over 5 hours on National Highway 1 to just 4 hours.
Prime Minister draws 5 lessons learned from 2 projects. (Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc) |
From the two projects, the Prime Minister draws 5 lessons learned.
The spirit of turning nothing into something, turning difficulties into opportunities, turning the impossible into possible, and striving more when facing pressure, to increasingly gain more experience, courage, and initiative.
Second, determination must be high, efforts must be great, and actions must be decisive; work must be focused and prioritized, and each task must be completed promptly.
Third, respect reality, start from reality, stick to reality, and use reality as a yardstick; resolve difficulties and obstacles right at the construction site, and overcome challenges in terms of capital, procedures, technology, land, construction materials, etc. The Prime Minister said that he had visited the site today (the northern entrance of Núi Vung tunnel) three times.
Fourth, mobilize and diversify funding sources and be flexible in applying existing legal tools.
Fifth, seek the support and understanding of the people, and put yourself in their shoes during site clearance and resettlement.
In the coming time, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport and relevant ministries and agencies to continue implementing the remaining tasks, invest in, and complete various project components, including the second tunnel of Núi Vung, operate the projects safely and effectively, conduct regular inspections, maintenance, and repair, and implement all the necessary ancillary facilities such as rest stops and fuel stations.
The People’s Committees of Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Khánh Hoà, Ninh Thuận, and Bình Thuận provinces should direct relevant agencies and units to continue caring for the material and spiritual lives of the people, especially the families that have cleared their land for the project, and ensure that their living conditions are better than or the same as before; make full use of the advantages of the expressways, plan, and open appropriate interchanges to create new development spaces and promote socio-economic development.
Investors, contractors, consultants, as well as ministries, agencies, and localities should review, draw lessons from, and effectively apply the experiences from this project and other implemented projects to improve efficiency and further enhance the implementation of subsequent projects.
The Ministry of Transport will focus on directing the completion of the remaining components of the Diễn Châu – Bãi Vọt project, ensuring the project is ready to be inaugurated on the occasion of the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday (May 19, 2024).
