Danger lurks at... Ai Nghia intersection

4(1).jpg — Trucks pass through Ai Nghia intersection, exit National Highway 14B to get on National Highway 14D and then pass through Nam Giang border gate to transport ore from Laos. Photo: NB

Ai Nghia intersection is the intersection of DT609 and DT609B, with a lot of mixed traffic, including thousands of heavy trucks carrying sand, cement and other goods passing by every day. Recently, there have been hundreds of ore trucks (vehicles with over 5 axles, total weight of about 48 tons) from Nam Giang going down to Highway 14B, turning onto DT609B and turning left at Ai Nghia intersection to DT609 to join Highway 1 and then going to Chu Lai port (Nui Thanh).

1(4).jpg — The road surface is degraded and full of potholes. Photo: NB

The road surface at Ai Nghia intersection is peeling and deteriorating rapidly, with many potholes hidden under stagnant rainwater, creating dangerous traps for drivers, especially motorbikes.

Local residents said they were very worried about their children going to school through Ai Nghia intersection. In addition to the damaged road surface making it difficult to travel, there are many long trucks here, each time they turn right or left, they take up almost the entire road. Heavy trucks have many “blind spots”, so if motorbikes drive parallel, they are very likely to have an accident.

Motorcyclists passing through Ai Nghia intersection should be careful to avoid falling into the truck's blind spot. Photo: NB

According to local residents, in the past 3 months, there have been 2 serious traffic accidents between motorbikes and heavy trucks at the Ai Nghia intersection. One of them, a motorbike rider, died on the spot. Or on the afternoon of November 29, a retired teacher was riding a motorbike into a truck's blind spot and was run over by the truck, crushing both of his legs. Later, due to the severity of his injuries, he passed away.

Local people temporarily filled the "potholes" with cement concrete to ensure safety for passersby. Photo: NB

On December 13, Road Management Area III (Vietnam Road Administration) officially issued a document on organizing traffic diversion to ensure traffic safety for the construction and repair of the new Cau Lau bridge at km953+340, on National Highway 1 through Quang Nam province. The ban on cars passing through the new Cau Lau bridge and traffic diversion to ensure traffic safety during bridge repair (total estimated time is 60 days) are as follows: Phase 1 starts from 12:00 on December 23, 2024, expected to end at 24:00 on December 31, 2024 (December 1, 2024 lunar calendar) and phase 2 starts from 12:00 on February 13, 2025 (January 16, 2025 lunar calendar) expected to end at 16:00 on April 5, 2025.

3(2).jpg — Using bags and tree branches to warn of "potholes" right in the middle of Ai Nghia intersection. Photo: CT

In particular, the traffic flow of vehicles with a load capacity of 5 tons or less and passenger vans with 30 seats or less will be divided in the direction from DT609, up to Ai Nghia intersection, turn onto DT609B, cross Giao Thuy bridge and vice versa. It is forecasted that the traffic situation through the Ai Nghia intersection area, which is already complicated, will be even more unpredictable.

The ore truck's body is long, so each time it turns a curve it takes up most of the roadway. Photo: NB

Faced with the above situation, it is thought that the Traffic Safety Committee of Quang Nam province and relevant sectors need to promptly coordinate to survey, grasp the situation and have appropriate measures to limit the risk of traffic accidents at Ai Nghia intersection.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/nguy-hiem-rinh-rap-o-nga-tu-ai-nghia-3146119.html