Transport connecting the dynamic economic axes of East-West

Thach Han 1 Bridge across Thach Han River connecting Dong Ha City with Trieu Phong District is under construction as part of the Coastal Road project connecting the East-West Economic Corridor, opening up many opportunities for regional connectivity and urban development - Photo: LM

Promote international trade

Director of the Department of Construction Tran Huu Hung affirmed that the East-West traffic routes have been promoting two-way international trade, creating strong competitiveness for Quang Tri in international economic integration. At the same time, awakening the potential and economic advantages of regions, creating economic restructuring and urban development.

In 2024, the import-export turnover through the two international border gates of Lao Bao and La Lay will reach nearly 1 billion USD. Of which, at Lao Bao international border gate, the import-export turnover will reach 645.77 million USD, an increase of 45.87%; the weight of imported and exported goods will reach 1.18 million tons.

At La Lay International Border Gate, import-export turnover reached 250 million USD, total volume of goods reached 2.26 million tons; total value of transit goods reached 8.93 billion USD. This shows the important role of two arterial routes in promoting international trade of Quang Tri and having regional connectivity significance including National Highway 9 and National Highway 15D.

Recognizing the importance of these two routes, Quang Tri province has invested, upgraded and expanded. Regarding National Highway 9, determining the strategic location of the route, the province has coordinated with the Ministry of Construction to review and complete the proposal for the Cam Lo-Lao Bao Expressway Construction Investment Project under the public-private partnership (PPP) method with an investment scale of 4 complete lanes, a design speed of 100 km/h, a roadbed cross-section of 24.75 m wide, and a length of 56 km. The project has a total estimated investment of about 13,939 billion VND; the project investor is Son Hai Group Company Limited.

Lang Vay Bridge, Huong Hoa District - Photo: TRA THIET

For National Highway 15D, it will create a connection with National Highway 15B of Laos, the road system of Thailand and Myanmar to form the La Lay-My Thuy Corridor parallel to the East-West Economic Corridor. This is a strategic and important corridor, connecting the North Central region with countries in the region.

The route is meaningful in connecting the country's vertical axes such as National Highway 1, the North-South railway; in particular, the route will connect National Highway 1 and the Cam Lo-La Son expressway and effectively exploit My Thuy port, creating favorable conditions for attracting, investing and developing Quang Tri Industrial Park and the Southeast Quang Tri Economic Zone.

National Highway 15D is designed to have 2-4 lanes, with a total length of 84 km, divided into many investment phases, of which the section from Cam Lo-La Son Expressway to Ho Chi Minh Road is 34 km long and is implemented under the PPP method, with a total estimated investment of about 5,662 billion VND; the section from Ho Chi Minh Road West Branch to La Lay International Border Gate is 12.2 km long, with a total investment of about 1,459 billion VND.

Along with the existing Cua Viet port, the My Thuy Port Area project implemented by My Thuy International Port Joint Stock Company (MTIP) started construction in early 2024 as an important traffic hub, a gateway to the East Sea towards Quang Tri province on the East-West Economic Corridor, conveniently connecting with many important traffic axes, serving the need for transporting goods on economic corridors passing through Quang Tri province.

Economic restructuring, urban development

The traffic routes connecting the East-West axes are also meaningful for creating regional links between mountainous and coastal areas to promote development, contribute to economic restructuring, and urban development. One of the driving projects to create changes in regional connectivity and development, and maximize the exploitation of the marine economy is the Coastal Road project connecting the East-West Economic Corridor. The route has a total length of 55 km, with a total investment of more than 2,000 billion VND for phase 1, passing through Vinh Linh, Gio Linh, Trieu Phong districts and Dong Ha city. Currently, the project is under construction and will soon be put into use and exploitation.

Along with that, the project of the road connecting the East branch of Ho Chi Minh road with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road has a length of 21.4 km, with a total investment of 229,156 billion VND. This is a project to increase the connectivity between the two routes of the East and West branches of Ho Chi Minh road, creating conditions to support the development of localities in the North Huong Hoa and West Vinh Linh areas, and at the same time creating a connecting route in natural disaster prevention, ensuring national defense and security. The project has basically completed the construction of 11 km/15 km; the remaining 4 km is undergoing natural forest clearance, expected to be completed and put into operation in 2025.

In addition to the dynamic projects being implemented and expected to create breakthroughs, many existing projects are being effectively exploited in connecting regional development such as National Highway 49C, 41.076 km long, from Cua Viet port along the sea to Hue city; National Highway 9D, 45.937 km long, from Cua Viet port along the sea to Ben Quan town, Vinh Linh district; National Highway 9F, 25 km long, from Truong Son Martyrs' Cemetery to the intersection of National Highway 9D in Trung Giang, Gio Linh; the Quang Tri coastal road system from the border of Quang Binh to the border of Hue city; the connecting road from National Highway 1 through the airport to the coastal road (construction is underway on the section from National Highway 1 to Quang Tri airport).

The provincial road system includes DT.571, a planned route connecting from National Highway 9D to the sea; DT.574, 7.53 km long, from Cua Tung beach to National Highway 1; DT.575A, 10 km long, from Gio Linh town to National Highway 9, connecting to Cua Viet beach; DT.583, 5 km long, connecting the sea with National Highway 49C; DT.582, 15 km long, connecting the sea with Hai Lang town; DT.582B, 13.76 km long, connecting the sea with Hai Truong commune (the route direction coincides with the planned National Highway 15D from La Lay to My Thuy beach).

With the existing, deployed and planned transport system, horizontal axes are being created to connect with important national vertical axes such as National Highway 1, expressway, North-South railway, Quang Tri Airport... forming a basically complete transport network to connect the coastal area with urban areas, corridors, and dynamic economic zones. Thereby, it will fully exploit the potential advantages between the border economy and the marine economy, creating strong competitiveness in attracting investment, developing urban infrastructure to help Quang Tri develop sustainably in the future.

Le Minh

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/giao-thong-ket-noi-cac-truc-kinh-te-dong-luc-dong-tay-192900.htm