The Ultimate Guide to Da Nang’s Ambitious River-Crossing and Airport Expansion Plans

The project for the tunnel under Danang Airport proposes an east-west transportation link with a tunnel length of over 2.9 km. This includes two open-tunnel sections totaling 570 m, three box tunnel sections with a total length of 1,450 m, and a 900 m tunnel under the existing runway.

According to the Danang Department of Construction, when planning the tunnel under Danang Airport, several factors need to be considered, including the sections crossing the existing runway and the sections outside the runway.

In terms of construction technology, the Danang Department of Construction proposes the application of closed and open tunnel construction methods for the section outside the operational runway, utilizing the cut-and-cover method. For the section under the operational runway, the Pipe Roof and TBM methods are suggested. Additionally, two options are proposed: combining the MRT (metro) line with the road and having separate lines for MRT and road traffic.

Analyzing the options, the combination of the MRT line with the road presents a technically challenging option with estimated costs of VND 10,000 billion. It offers moderate safety and operability, and expanding the MRT in the future would be difficult. On the other hand, separate lines for MRT and road traffic have lower technical complexity, estimated costs of VND 7,500 billion, higher safety and operability, and provide easier expansion possibilities for the MRT.

For the tunnel under the airport, the Department of Construction recommends against combining the MRT and road traffic due to their differing technical standards, which would result in a forced integration. The characteristics of the MRT and road profiles and alignments at the airport tunnel location, especially the turning radius, make it challenging to design a structure that accommodates both, leading to certain inefficiencies.

As the investment schedule for the MRT line is yet to be determined, and given the rapid advancements in technology, the selection of the alignment and technology will be made at the time of investment. However, considering the expansion plans for Danang Airport, it is essential to commence the research for the MRT line option as soon as possible.

Han River Tunnel Project Requires Over VND 6,800 Billion

Regarding the Han River Tunnel project, the main tunnel’s total length is approximately 1.67 km, comprising a 600 m closed tunnel crossing the river, a 380 m closed tunnel on the shore, and a 415 m open tunnel. The starting point of the tunnel connects to Dong Da Street (Hai Chau District), and the endpoint connects to Van Don Street (Son Tra District).

According to the report, the total investment for the Han River Tunnel project is expected to be VND 6,880 billion. This includes construction costs of VND 3,900 billion, VND 2,000 billion for land clearance and resettlement support, and other expenses.

The Danang Department of Construction affirms that the proposal to build tunnels under the Han River and Danang International Airport aligns with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 359/QD-TTg, approving adjustments to the master plan for Danang city until 2030, with a vision towards 2045. It also adheres to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg, approving the city’s planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050, and is based on the city’s traffic demand forecast until 2045.