Nghi Son - Dien Chau Expressway opens to traffic half a month before

The 50km-long, over 7,290 billion VND expressway, passing through Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces, is expected to open its main route on September 2.

The project's starting point is in Tan Truong commune, Nghi Son town, Thanh Hoa, connecting with National Highway 45 - Nghi Son; the end point is in Dien Thap commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An, at the intersection with Dien Chau - Bai Vot highway. The highway section through Thanh Hoa is 6.5 km long, Nghe An is 43.5 km long.

In phase one, this expressway section will be built with 4 lanes, 17 m roadbed, and a design speed of 80 km/h. The completed phase will have 6 lanes, 32.25 m roadbed, and a design speed of 100-120 km/h.

At intersections and underpass entrances, in phase one, there will be an additional lane for convenient traffic.

The highway has a mountain tunnel called Truong Vinh tunnel, 450 m long with 6 lanes cutting through Mong Ga mountain at the border of Thanh Hoa - Nghe An provinces.

Mr. Nguyen Loi Linh, Deputy Director of Nghi Son - Dien Chau Expressway Project, said that the Truong Vinh tunnel package is basically completed. The construction unit is completing the electrical system, ventilation fan, fire protection system, and preparing for handover.

The highway passes through many mountainous areas in Nghe An, and the construction unit had to clear the mountain to make way. The slope of soil and rock that is at risk of landslides is being reinforced from the road surface to the top of the hill to ensure safety.

The entire Nghi Son - Dien Chau expressway has 3 interconnecting intersections including Quynh Vinh intersection with National Highway 48D in Hoang Mai town, Quynh My intersection in Quynh Luu district with National Highway 48B and Dien Cat intersection at the exit to National Highway 7.

At Quynh Vinh intersection, the construction unit is rushing to complete the work so that vehicles can exit or enter the highway from Highway 1 and 48D.

Road rollers spread asphalt on the road through Quynh Luu district, Nghe An.

According to the representative of the Project Management Board, the Nghi Son - Dien Chau Expressway has 4 component projects, with an average total output of about 96%. Most of the main route has been paved with asphalt concrete, except for some local points where weak ground has to be treated, so the foundation has just been completed, and a final section of the route in Dien Cat commune (about 200 m long) has not yet been unloaded.

"The Prime Minister and leaders of the Ministry of Transport have directed the main route to be technically opened to traffic on September 2, so we are asking construction units to make maximum efforts with the highest spirit to complete it," said Mr. Nguyen Loi Linh, Deputy Head of the Expressway Project Management Board.

The anti-glare panels at the beginning of the project in Nghi Son town have been completely installed, but at the end of the route, this item and other works such as guardrails, signs, and lights have not been installed.

"The construction site is still in disarray with traffic safety systems, lighting, signs, level crossings, and overpasses that have not been completed. It is currently the rainy season, so it also affects the construction progress...", Mr. Linh added.

Traffic sign system is being urgently constructed.

The Project Management Board said that contractors are constructing three layers of asphalt concrete on the entire route, but this work depends on the weather; if it rains, it will have to stop. When the road surface cannot be paved, contractors are required to install traffic safety systems, signs, etc.

Nghi Son - Dien Chau Expressway at the intersection with National Highway 48 in Dien Doai Commune is still in disarray. This is a difficult location and the progress is currently the slowest on the entire route. Part of the reason is the slow land clearance.

The entire Nghi Son - Dien Chau expressway has 22 large and small bridges (8 overpasses, the remaining 14 bridges on the main route) that are not yet completed.

The highway has about 30 km of residential roads, none of which have been completed.

At the July site inspection, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang requested Project Management Board 6 to make a progress plan to basically complete the main tasks by August 20, completing the Nghi Son - Dien Chau expressway project on September 2. Any contractor that is behind schedule will be dealt with according to the contract. As for the service road and residential road, they are allowed to complete by September 30.

In phase one, the highway does not have an emergency lane but only small stop strips (every 5 km) for vehicles to handle when encountering unusual problems.

Nghi Son - Dien Chau Expressway, together with National Highway 45 - Nghi Son Expressway, will shorten the travel time from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An from 3 hours on National Highway 1 to 1.5 hours. Traveling from Hanoi to Dien Chau (Nghe An) will only take 3.5 hours, instead of about 5 hours as it does now. After opening, this expressway will temporarily not collect tolls.

Vnexpress.net