HCMC – Work has finally begun on the long-awaited Saigon Bridge 2 project, which will help cope with chronically heavy traffic on the existing Saigon Bridge.
Work starts on second Saigon Bridge
By Anh Quan - The Saigon Times Daily
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| Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai (4th, R) and HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan (5th, R) join with other delegates to kickstart construction of Saigon Bridge 2, a new structure running parallel with the existing overcrowded Saigon Bridge - Photo: Anh Quan |
HCMC – Work has finally begun on the long-awaited Saigon Bridge 2 project, which will help cope with chronically heavy traffic on the existing Saigon Bridge.
The VND1.5 trillion bridge will be developed in parallel with the current Saigon Bridge. It will be nearly 1.5 kilometers long and 23.5 meters wide with six lanes and a designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
The project owner is HCMC Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company (CII). Three contractors, Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 1 (Cienco 1), Tuan Loc Construction Investment Corporation and 565 Holding Corporation, will execute the project in 21 months under the build-transfer (BT) format.
When in place, Saigon Bridge 2 will help ease traffic congestion on the Saigon Bridge, and deal with rising traffic from Hanoi Highway that has been expanded with 12 lanes.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said that overload on the current Saigon Bridge was causing concern over traffic safety, so there was a urgent need for a new bridge.
HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan stressed the importance of ensuring safety for the Saigon Bridge while constructing the new bridge due to the weak foundation in the project area.
On the same day, My Thuy Bridge on Provincial Road 25B was opened to traffic to reduce traffic on the road leading to the busy Cat Lai Port.