The article reflects that recently, a series of expressways have been completed and put into operation such as: Mai Son - National Highway 45, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet; Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, Da Nang - Quang Ngai... but there are no rest stops. Even on the 200km Vinh Hao - Dau Giay expressway, there are no rest stops. This causes inconvenience and frustration for drivers and passengers.
Reader Cong Tam wrote, “So, the highway becomes a highway… infuriating.” Meanwhile, another reader expressed the opinion that this shows a lack of consistent investment, and some even questioned that “perhaps because this is such a delicious cake that no one gives it up” so “no one gets to eat it.”
Analyzing more closely, reader Lan Anh said that developing rest stops, in addition to ensuring safety and meeting the urgent needs of drivers and passengers, also develops services, the economy, and even tourism.
Therefore, it is necessary to implement and operate rest stops in parallel with the highway construction progress.
It is possible to consider using public investment capital provided to localities to invest in building rest stops in the area and hire managers (if the locality does not want to directly manage).
This reader also gave an explanation: “If you want to make a profit, you need to design it beautifully and well as a tourist destination, sightseeing, taking photos, checking in and shopping. The roof of the station can be designed with a garden and a cafe, and solar panels can be arranged to supplement the power supply and lighting for the rest stop.”
Similarly, reader Hai Phong thinks that if it is not completed, it should not be allowed to be exploited. Because this reader said that he was very stressed after running the Cao Bo - Mai Son - QL45 route.
“Nearly 80km without any rest stops, having to keep the speed at 80km/h, very uncomfortable and sometimes makes me sleepy when having to drive that long”, reader Hai Phong said.
Discussing further with VietNamNet reporters on this issue, traffic expert, Dr. Phan Le Binh, said that the highway was built but the rest stops were not completed, specifically 200km without a single rest stop, which is a limitation, reducing the convenience of the highway for drivers and passengers.
In the context of not having a rest stop on the route, the safest way to handle the situation is for the driver to pull the car off the highway and go to restaurants and eateries along the national highways so that the passengers can use the restroom and rest.
“However, this method makes the vehicle spend more time moving in and out of the highway, prolonging the vehicle's journey, so normally drivers want to find a simpler way.
“Drivers stopping in the emergency lane for long periods of time poses a very high risk of traffic accidents, especially in the context that drivers in our country are still not used to driving in the emergency lane. At night, when visibility is poor, the possibility of serious accidents is very high,” Dr. Phan Le Binh warned.
According to Dr. Phan Le Binh, each country has "quite diverse" regulations in arranging rest stops.
In Japan, the management agency will arrange rest stops with a fairly short distance between stations, only about 20-30km, so drivers have many diverse options, having a comfortable and safe place to stop.
“What is special in Japan is that they try to connect rest stops with the development and sale of local specialties, thereby helping to boost economic development and create more jobs for local people near the rest stops.
This concept was introduced to Vietnam by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through research support on rest stop planning in 2009,” said Dr. Phan Le Binh.
Meanwhile, in the US there is a very long highway network, spanning the entire country, but the number of public rest stops is very small, only one stop every hundred kilometers.
But in return, almost every exit of the highway has private businesses investing in restaurants and gas stations. Therefore, drivers and passengers do not have to spend much time finding a suitable resting place.
Returning to the newly opened highways in our country, Dr. Phan Le Binh said that the urgent solution that needs to be solved right now is to minimize the risk of traffic accidents.
Accordingly, traffic police patrol, remind and require drivers not to stop or park in the emergency lane, especially at night.
“At the same time, we should quickly survey and install some temporary signs to let drivers know about restaurants and rest stops near the highway exits.
On the other hand, we should also quickly carry out the construction and put into operation of rest stops along the route, which are already included in the plan," Dr. Phan Le Binh emphasized.
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