The People’s committee in Quang Ninh, a northern province in Vietnam, plans to construct an underseas tunnel to ease traffic congestion, increase connectivity and improve road safety. If approved, the tunnel would connect the Vuon Dao T-Junction of Bai Chay Ward and the coastal roads of the urban Vinhomes at Ha Long City’s Hon Gai Ward.
According to the provincial level government, the tunnel would ease traffic congestion on the Bai Chay bridge, currently the only connection between Hon Gai and Bai Chay and an important link between tourist sites in the west and the administration area east of Ha Long City. Rapid growth in traffic will mean the bridge will be overloaded by 2025 according to a key government official.
Apart from traffic issues, frequent storms force authorities to suspend traffic on the bridge, affecting the lives of local residents and disrupting traffic connectivity.
Several consultancies have proposed project initiatives, including Japans’ Nippon Koei, Transport Engineering Inc and FECON joint stock company which proposed a boring machine and immersed tunneling to ensure safety and efficacy. A contractor has been appointed for the project and an assessment on the effects on relevant stakeholders has been carried out.
Once the relevant authorities receive approval, the project will initiate this year and completed within five years. The proposed tunnel would measure a total of 2,750 meters, be able to resist level 7 earthquakes and consist of six vehicle lanes with a maximum speed of 60 km per hour. Building costs for the project would amount to more than VND 9.7 trillion (US 417.6 million).
(Source: Vietnam News)
