The part of the La Son - Tuy Loan expressway running through Nam Dong has been completed. Photo: NGUYEN PHONG
The expressways that connect
People in the ancient capital now can feel the boost in the trading flows between the plains and the mountains when the La Son - Tuy Loan highway has basically reached its final steps. This big road, like a mountain-crossing train, is part of the project of the 77.6 km Ho Chi Minh road passing Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang with a total investment of more than VND 12,000 billion. Its segment that spreads through the province is 36km in length and divided into 4 lanes.
Mr. Tran Quoc Phung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Dong district shared that as soon as the project was initiated, the local government recognized well that it was a national key route, which portraits special significance in the economic development of the province in general and Nam Dong district in particular. There have been 560 households affected with 100 hectares of all types of land acquired. Among them, 41 households had to be resettled to Huong Loc, Huong Phu, and Khe Tre township.
Together with the project of La Son - Tuy Loan expressway, Cam Lo - La Son expressway - part of the project to build several highway sections on the North-South route through Thua Thien Hue – was launched with 62.5 km in length (passing Phong Dien district, Phu Loc district, Huong Tra township, and Huong Thuy township). The cross-section of the route at the initial phase is invested to construct a 2-laned road of 12m in width. The final phase will equip the road with 4 lanes with a 23m width.
The beginning part of the La Son - Tuy Loan expressway in Loc Son commune, Phu Loc district, has been completed
When Cam Lo - La Son expressway is done, it will merge with La Son - Tuy Loan expressway to complete the eastern branch of Ho Chi Minh road, and link with Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway. Accordingly, there would be a great opportunity for reducing traffic loads during rush hours on the National Highway 1A (NH1A) and binding traffic routes in various regions of the central provinces at the same time.
According to Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Director of the provincial Department of Transport, the Cam Lo - La Son expressway project has started and won special attention from both central and local leaders. One of the focuses of the project is the work of site clearance. Currently, there are 1,616 affected households in four localities (Phong Dien, Huong Tra, Huong Thuy, and Phu Loc) with a total area of about 430 ha of land acquired and 798 tombs relocated; of which 178 households have been resettled.
Over the past time, the site clearance for the preparation of the project has led to many complicated problems on compensation and resettlement, but the local authorities consider it a political task to conclude the component with determination. Up to now, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the province has developed effective plans to remove obstacles, handing over nearly 95% of the needed area and determines to make it 100% by the end of the third quarter of 2020, according to the plan.
The Hai Van Tunnel 2 has been on construction by the Deo Ca Group. The project had been proposed by the company to the government and the Ministry of Transport and Transportation and won their approval. The project, over 12.6km in total length, commences in the area of Lang Co Town, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province and ends in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang city.
In particular, the northern entrance road (located in Lang Co town) is 2.1 km long, the southern entrance road (located in Hoa Hiep Bac ward) is 4.3 km long, and the tunnel is over 6.2km long and 9.75m wide. Its total investment goes beyond VND 7,296 billion.
Currently, all components of the project, such as the construction of the tunnel, bridges and entrance roads, and the installation of mechatronics, etc., have reached more than 90% in the progress bar. The major remaining task is to finish the installation of electromechanical equipment.
It is expected that the project will be put into operation in early September 2020 to reduce the traffic volume through the Hai Van tunnel which was built in 2005 and has been increasingly overloaded. At the same time, it offers good opportunities for boosting regional trading activities and shortening the distance and time for people and vehicles traveling between Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang as well as within the central region.
No more barriers
Apart from the expressway projects that have been well recognized, along with the National Highway 49B (NH49B) connecting Hue city with the west of A Luoi mountainous region, the La Son - Nam Dong expressway as well as many road traffic projects locates on the horizontal and vertical axes join the city central area and Huong Thuy and Huong Tra Townships... and heading to the coastal area.
The typical projects are those which widen the NH49B segment from Thuan An (Phu Vang) to Vinh Hien (Phu Loc) – prolonging the NH1A with 48km in length and VND 761 billion in total investment capital, divided into two phases and are financed by the government bond capital and other sources. At present, only more than 1.6 km running through the territory of Giang Hai and Vinh Hien (Phu Loc) communes is left unconcluded. But this road has already fueled a smooth traffic circulation for more than 20 communes and towns locating in the coastal area and Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon, from Phu Vang to Phu Loc.
This route has helped consume and rebalance the traffic on NH1A as well as shorten the distance from Hue city to the coastal area and vice versa.
At the northern gateway of the province, the Phong Dien - Dien Loc route has its first end connecting with the NH1A passing through the area of Phong Dien township and the other end spreading to Dien Loc beach (Phong Dien). The route is 16.5 km in length and more than VND 671 billion in total investment. In particular, the 3km portion passing Phong Dien town is widened by 36m, featuring 2 lanes (10.5m wide each) with a 6m wide median strip and a 4.5m wide pavement on each side.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Quyen, Deputy Director of the Project Management
Unit for Traffic Construction of the province - the project holder – informed that currently the Phong Dien - Dien Loc works have embarked on phase 2, of which the capital proposed to the government is more than VND 400 billion. The investment in this route opens a new avenue for rearranging the population, accelerating the urbanization process, and promoting access to the other important transport hubs.
This route also plays a vital role in expanding and strengthening regional development linkages, such as the expansion of marine tourism services in Ngu Dien region (to the northeast of the province), Phong Dien industrial park, Huong Tra township industrial park, and creating advantageous conditions for rescue operations.
Story and photos: Minh Van