HCMC – The middle branch of Rach Chiec Bridge in HCMC was opened to traffic on Tuesday, while on the same day the city’s first steel flyover at Thu Duc Intersection got off the ground with an aim to reduce chronic congestion there.
New bridges to tackle congestion in city gateways
By Anh Quan - The Saigon Times Daily
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| The entire Rach Chiec Bridge is now open to traffic - Photo: Anh Quan |
HCMC – The middle branch of Rach Chiec Bridge in HCMC was opened to traffic on Tuesday, while on the same day the city’s first steel flyover at Thu Duc Intersection got off the ground with an aim to reduce chronic congestion there.
The middle branch of Rach Chiec Bridge, the only bridge on Hanoi Highway leading to Cat Lai Port, is the main component of the project. The bridge plays an important role in connecting HCMC and the northern and central regions, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta.
With a total length of 735 meters, the bridge consists of three branches. The middle and main branch has six lanes while the side branches each have two lanes.
The two side branches developed in the first phase were put into use in December 2010. Meanwhile, work started on the middle branch in February 2011 and was completed last month.
The Rach Chiec Bridge project cost a combined VND1.01 trillion, financed by the HCMC Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company (CII) under a contract for the toll collection right on Hanoi Highway.
With the entire Rach Chiec Bridge now opened to traffic, it is more convenient to travel on Hanoi Highway. Especially, goods transport through Cat Lai Port will no longer suffer congestion.
In a related development, the HCMC government on Tuesday began work on a steel flyover at Thu Duc Intersection. This type of flyover requires a short construction time, around seven months, so traffic congestion at Thu Duc Intersection will soon be reduced.
The flyover is developed in the direction from HCMC to Bien Hoa, Dong Nai, stretching 570 meters with four lanes. It is designed with structured steel and reinforced concrete slab.
The total investment cost is VND227 billion, sourced from the city’s budget. Thang Long Construction Corporation, developer of a steel flyover in Hanoi, will also develop this project.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, HCMC vice chairman Nguyen Huu Tin said the project would be completed before Lunar New Year 2013. Thereafter, the city will build another flyover parallel to the first one to reduce traffic congestion at Thu Duc Intersection.
In the coming time, HCMC will commence two steel flyovers at Hang Xanh Intersection and Hoang Van Thu-Truong Son-Cong Hoa Intersection. Moreover, the municipal government will assign the HCMC Department of Transport to study the development of a steel flyover at Cay Go Roundabout.