In addition to helping complete the Mai Son – Highway 45 (QL) expressway, phase 1, the Thieu Giang (Thieu Hoa district) and Dong Thang (Trieu Son district) interchanges will also provide the shortest route from Hanoi to Nghe An to Tho Xuan airport and Sam Son beach.
After several missed deadlines, both interchanges were put into operation on April 19th by the investor, the Thang Long Project Management Board (QLDA) – Ministry of Transport (GTVT) and the Thanh Hoa Department of Transport.
The total investment value of both interchanges is 621 billion VND, of which the Thieu Giang interchange (pictured) has a total investment value of 455 billion VND and is invested by the Thieu Giang District People’s Committee, Thanh Hoa.
The Dong Thang interchange has an investment value of 166 billion VND, invested by the Thang Long PMU.
However, just 4 days after being put into use, on April 23rd, the Ministry of Transport and Thanh Hoa People’s Committee requested that the interchanges be closed off and that cars be prohibited from entering or leaving.
The reason given by the Ministry of Transport and Thanh Hoa People’s Committee is that both projects have some outstanding issues that need to be completed before they can be reopened to traffic.
Currently, both entrances to the interchange are blocked by concrete slabs, along with signs prohibiting vehicles from entering. In some places, makeshift bamboo poles are used as roadblocks.
Since both the investor and the local government had announced that the two interchanges would go into operation from April 19th, many drivers were unaware and entered the interchanges during the peak travel period of April 30th to May 1st, only to be surprised and confused when they found the roads closed off.
The two interchanges, which cost over 620 billion VND, had to be closed after being opened to traffic, so local residents have been coming here to walk and exercise.
