3 options for Lang road project to reduce land clearance and preserve trees

On May 10, Mr. Phan Truong Thanh, Head of the Planning Department of the Hanoi Department of Transport, informed the press about the project to renovate and expand Lang Road (Ring Road 2 from Nga Tu So to Cau Giay, including both elevated and low-lying sections).

According to Mr. Thanh, the Department of Transport has recently submitted 11 transport infrastructure investment projects to the Hanoi People's Committee for consideration. Among them is the Lang Road expansion project (length 3.8km) with a proposed total investment of more than VND 21,000 billion (the lower section is less than VND 17,000 billion; the elevated section is nearly VND 3,900 billion).

The Hanoi Department of Transport has given the consulting unit for the renovation of Lang Street the task of preserving the row of Indian mahogany trees. Photo: Quang Phong

According to the initial plan, the city prioritized building a lower section with a cross-section width of 53.5m (twice as wide as the current Lang road with a cross-section width of 10.5m each way), and a length of 3.8km.

Regarding the above proposal, some opinions of the people and experts stated that the investment cost is large, the expanded road is only 3.8km long but the estimated cost is up to more than 21,000 billion VND. If this fund is used for urban railway, it will be more effective. Besides, the site clearance work is complicated, leading to the risk of the project being prolonged.

Regarding this, Mr. Thanh said that according to the planning of Hanoi's Ring Road 2, the total length is 39km, closed, currently 6.1km has not been renovated or expanded. Of which, the Nga Tu So - Cau Giay section (coinciding with the current Lang road) is 3.8km long and the 2.3km section is in the area north of the Red River.

According to Mr. Thanh, prioritizing the completion of closed investment in the Beltway 2 route according to the plan is necessary. However, the related information is preliminary research, the total investment of the project of more than 21,000 billion VND is only an estimated figure.

The project to renovate and expand Lang Road and the elevated road requires many complex techniques when passing through 3 overpasses and the Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway station. Photo: Quang Phong

According to the Head of the Planning Department of the Department of Transport, the department has selected a consulting unit to conduct specific and thorough research, from which to propose specific investment scenarios and plans.

“The responsibility of the state management agency is to choose the most suitable and feasible option. For complex and specific projects like this one, we must be even more cautious,” Mr. Thanh emphasized.

Mr. Thanh said that right from the preliminary research stage, the Department of Transport has considered different options, such as: Expanding Belt 2 towards To Lich River; building Belt 2 on an elevated level towards To Lich River, which is not dependent on the lower expansion project and preserves the existing row of rosewood trees; building an urban railway instead of expanding Belt 2 on an elevated level and at a low level...

Hanoi Department of Transport is considering options to renovate Lang Street that will have less impact on households and preserve the trees. Photo: Quang Phong

From there, the Department of Transport has given a "question" with many requirements to the consulting unit, from calculating technical factors, drainage, environment, investment efficiency,... to minimize the impact on people in the project area as well as have a plan to preserve the perennial rosewood trees.

In addition, to implement this project, the city must also balance capital sources, because Hanoi is focusing resources on Beltway 4 - Capital Region.

“This is a complex project, and will be widely consulted with experts, scientists, and people, especially those in the project’s impact area. The project appraisal process is very strict and cautious. At the earliest, the overall project will be completed by the end of 2024 to be submitted to the City People’s Council for consideration,” said Mr. Thanh.

Double the width of Lang Road, the traffic jam 'hotspot' is cooled down

As a vital route connecting Cau Giay area with Nga Tu So, most of the intersections with three-way and four-way intersections on Lang Street often experience traffic congestion, especially during rush hour.

Hanoi doubles Lang Road's width, solves traffic jam problem at So Intersection

To solve the traffic congestion on Ring Road 2, Hanoi City will widen Lang Road from about 21m to 53.5m and build an elevated road from Nga Tu So to Cau Giay.

Hanoi proposes 8,500 billion to build an elevated road from Nga Tu So to Cau Giay

The investment project to renovate and expand the elevated and low-lying Ring Road 2 (section Nga Tu So - Cau Giay) with a scale of 53.5m wide, 3.44km long, with a total estimated investment of 8,500 billion VND.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/3-phuong-an-de-du-an-duong-lang-it-giai-phong-mat-bang-bao-ton-hang-cay-xanh-2279526.html