We hope the project will be implemented soon.

If they don't want to cross the ford, vehicles have to jostle each other to get across the Co My bridge in He Muong commune, facing the risk of the bridge being narrow and weak.

The existing road connecting National Highway 12 to the center of He Muong commune is a single-lane route, approximately 10km long, invested in and put into use since 2003. It has a roadbed width of 5m and a gravel surface width of 3m. The areas directly benefiting from this road include the villages of Yen Cang 2, Co My, Na Don, Sai Luong, and Nam He, with nearly 100% of the population being ethnic Thai people. However, due to various reasons, this road is now damaged along its entire length.

Observations along this road reveal numerous potholes, some of which are quite large. The drainage system, both horizontal and vertical, has not been invested in. During heavy rains or the rainy season, the road is frequently flooded, creating many wide muddy puddles. Locals temporarily fill the deep holes with bricks and mortar to make travel easier. Even so, people still have to be cautious because a momentary loss of control could lead to a traffic accident. Two-wheeled vehicles have to travel along the sides of the road to avoid the mud, while cars present a challenge for every driver. “Although the road has been in disrepair for many years, it has not been maintained or repaired. It’s bad on rainy days, and dusty on sunny days. Therefore, many accidents have occurred,” said Mr. Lo Van Thin (Sam Mun commune).

Quang Van Sinh, a driver who frequently transports goods along this route, said that the road has been in disrepair for a long time, but recently the situation has worsened significantly. "We just hope that the authorities will soon come up with a plan to repair this road so that people can travel more safely," Sinh said.

Many sections of the road are severely degraded with numerous potholes, making travel very difficult for residents.

Along the route is the Co My suspension bridge, 90 meters long, spanning the Nam Nua River. This is an important transportation structure on the route, designed as a cable-stayed suspension bridge with a steel frame and steel deck. However, the bridge is currently deteriorating, with issues such as holes in the deck, damaged guardrails and bracing, and missing fixing screws. This causes the bridge to vibrate strongly when people and vehicles cross, especially during the rainy season, creating anxiety and worry for the local people. Residents say that although the designed load capacity is 2.5 tons, due to its age, only small vehicles, from pickup trucks downwards, can pass. Meanwhile, trucks carrying agricultural products or construction materials have to use a very steep detour right next to the bridge to cross the Nam Nua River. During the rainy season, when the water level rises, it becomes impassable, making the transportation of goods even more difficult. Therefore, people have to use motorbikes or even rudimentary means of transport to bring goods to the collection point on the other side, then hire trucks to transport them back and forth.

The family of Ms. Vi Thi Hac in Co My village, Sam Mun commune, lives right near the Co My bridge, so they understand the hardships and dangers that local people face every day. She recounted that due to the steep terrain of the Nam Nua river, if it rains upstream, the water rises very quickly, sometimes even causing flash floods. Therefore, many trucks carrying goods, even if they reach the other side of the bridge, cannot use the alternative route to cross the Nam Nua river and have to turn back. There have even been cases where trucks carrying agricultural products broke down in the middle of the river and couldn't be repaired, requiring them to wait for hours before being towed ashore. If a flash flood were to occur at that time, it could cause damage to both people and property. "We request that the government pay attention to building a new, larger, and more sturdy bridge to facilitate transportation and create favorable conditions for economic development," Ms. Vi Thi Hac expressed.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Bui Hai Binh, Chairman of the Dien Bien District People's Committee, confirmed that the road is currently severely degraded, causing difficulties for local people's travel and production, and posing many risks of traffic accidents. Recently, the Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee sent a document (No. 3028/UBND-KTN dated July 18, 2023) to the Ministry of Planning and Investment requesting consideration and support from the central government's contingency budget to implement the road project from C10 Sam Mun commune to He Muong commune in the 2023-2025 period. “The people in the area mainly live by farming and livestock raising in a self-sufficient manner, with underdeveloped economy and a high poverty rate. The local government hopes that the relevant agencies will pay attention to this issue so that the road can be renovated as soon as possible to ensure peace of mind for production and convenient travel for the people,” said Mr. Bui Hai Binh.

Source