Large vehicles banned from Cam Lo highway

That is the opinion contained in the document of the National Assembly Delegation of the province sent to the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration yesterday, April 8, proposing opinions related to the ban on passenger vans with more than 30 seats, sleeper buses, vehicles with 6 axles or more (including monocoque bodies and tractor trailers with a load of 30 tons or more) from traveling on the Cam Lo - La Son expressway through the province, which still has many problems.

Signs prohibiting passenger vans with more than 30 seats, sleeper buses, and vehicles with 6 axles or more from traveling on the Cam Lo - La Son expressway at the intersection in Cam Hieu commune, Cam Lo district - Photo: Le Truong

Accordingly, through surveying, understanding the situation and receiving opinions from the people and the local authorities and functional agencies, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation found that the above-mentioned large vehicles are not allowed to circulate on the highway and are forced to switch to National Highway 1 through Dong Ha City, the administrative center of the province, but to date there is no bypass.

Meanwhile, inter-provincial vehicles travel through here with high density, traffic organization has lanes for non-motorized vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians... at the same level as motor vehicle lanes. On the other hand, National Highway 1 section through the province has been invested and exploited for many years, so the quality has degraded, posing a high risk of accidents.

In fact, before the Cam Lo - La Son Expressway was put into operation in 2022, there were 75 traffic accidents on National Highway 1, killing 34 people and injuring 38 others; after the expressway was opened in 2023, the number of traffic accidents on National Highway 1 decreased by 24 cases, with 15 fewer deaths.

Before the Cam Lo - La Son Expressway was put into operation in 2022, there were 75 traffic accidents on National Highway 1, killing 34 people and injuring 38 others - Photo: Le Truong

In addition, National Highway 1 passing through Quang Tri province has its own potentially dangerous characteristics: it has 216 branch roads connecting at the same level and has a very large traffic volume at the intersection; along the southern route there are 4 districts, towns, cities and wards, towns with dense population, schools, industrial parks...; the number of cars, motorbikes, bicycles in the locality passing through National Highway 1 is actually very large... Thus, the above traffic diversion on the highway will cause large vehicles to "avoid" toll stations, enter local roads that are currently degraded and will make the degradation more serious, leading to a high risk of traffic accidents.

According to the document, the traffic diversion as mentioned has no scientific basis or practical proof that it is correct, effective and practical; the impact has not been fully assessed; it is no different from pushing the “risk” to the locality and people of Quang Tri. Therefore, it is necessary to have a comprehensive and complete analysis, recognition and assessment, and especially to listen to the opinions of the people and local authorities in the areas directly affected.

For the peace of people's lives, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation proposed that the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration not ban passenger vehicles with more than 30 seats, sleeper buses, and trucks with 6 axles or more from traveling on the Cam Lo - La Son Expressway. At the same time, it proposed that relevant units urgently overcome existing problems on this route; install automatic camera surveillance systems, organize functional forces to regularly patrol, control and strictly handle violations; arrange lighting systems, emergency lanes, rest stops, etc.

Le Truong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/thoi-su/cam-phuong-tien-co-lon-di-tren-cao-toc-cam-lo-la-son-khong-khac-day-rui-ro-cho-nguoi-dan-quang-tri/184725.htm