Department of Transport responds to voters' opinions about many degraded, damaged, and unfinished traffic routes

The project to upgrade National Highway 7A (section through Dien Phuc commune, Dien Chau district) is under construction. Illustration photo: Mai Giang

The Department of Transport has responded in writing to voters' petitions, specifically as follows:

Voters proposed to invest in building a drainage system on both sides of National Highway 15A through hamlets 7 and 9, Nam Kim commune, because currently there are no drainage ditches, greatly affecting the quality of the national highway surface and environmental sanitation.

Exchange: On April 28, 2021, Nghe An Department of Transport issued Official Dispatch No. 1251/SGTVT-BQLBT to Nam Dan District People's Committee regarding the construction of a ditch along the section Km353+(v0 - Km353+800, which required households to clear flower beds located on the land area of the drainage ditch, to avoid restricting the flow and water overflowing onto the road surface when there is heavy rain. Up to now, the above situation has not been handled.

In 2023, Nghe An Department of Transport has developed a plan and proposed to the Vietnam Road Administration for approval to build the above ditches. However, due to limited funding, priority will only be given to repairing and handling sections that are frequently flooded, such as the culvert at Km353+020. For the section Km353+600 - Km353+800, Nghe An Department of Transport will continue to propose to the Vietnam Road Administration to allocate funds for repairs in the following year.

In the immediate future, Nghe An Department of Transport will continue to direct the management unit to dredge and clear the flow to ensure that water does not overflow onto the road. At the same time, it is requested that Nam Dan District People's Committee direct Nam Kim Commune to clear flower beds located on the land area of the drainage ditch to avoid restricting the flow and water overflowing onto the road when there is heavy rain.

Voters proposed to renovate and upgrade National Highway 48 from Chau Binh commune through Chau Hoi commune to Tan Lac town, prioritizing raising the roadbed at points that are frequently flooded, widening the corridor at curves, and at points with limited visibility, especially at Ke Le slope, to proactively handle landslides. Currently, the road has shortcomings such as: Low roadbed design that is prone to flooding; many narrow curves with limited visibility pose a danger to road users, such as the section through Len Chet and Ke Le slope.

Exchange: National Highway 48 is 160km long, of which the section from Chau Binh commune through Chau Hoi commune to Tan Lac town, Quy Chau district is located at Km68+00 - Km87+00.

Current status: Sections Km68+00 - Km74+200 have surface B=5.5m, base B=7.5m; section Km74+200 - Km87+00 has surface B=5.5m, base B=6.5m, good quality asphalt road surface, smooth, ensuring traffic safety on the route.

Section Km74+600 - Km76+273, Bmặt = 5.5m with asphalted crushed stone, Bnền = 6.5m is located within the scope of Ban Mong Reservoir Project, Nghe An province. Currently, the project has been rerouted to the right side, the basic construction has been completed, and is ready for handover and use.

In recent years, the Department of Transport has carried out many projects to repair the roadbed, road surface, drainage system and traffic safety on the route, specifically: In 2019, the sections Km66-Km82, Km86+850-Km90+00, Km96+00-Km99+00 were repaired with a cost of 33.7 billion VND; In 2020, the sections Km68+350-Km68+700, Km70-Km74+200, Km77+200-Km78 were repaired with a cost of 13.5 billion VND; In 2021, the sections Km64 - Km66+200, Km66+850 - Km68+350, Km74+200 - Km74+830 were repaired with a cost of 10.5 billion VND. At the same time, regularly direct the management unit to strengthen the implementation of management and maintenance work on the route, carry out dredging and cleaning of longitudinal ditches and cross-culverts, ensuring good drainage during the rainy season. At Ke Le slope, on the route Km85+400 - Km86+850, a full traffic safety system has been installed, and the work of overcoming landslides causing sedimentation of the roadbed and surface has been carried out promptly, ensuring convenience and safety for people and vehicles passing by.

However, at some times of prolonged heavy rain during the year combined with the release of floodwaters from hydroelectric dams, some sections of the route such as Km68+400 - Km68+700, Km72+900 - Km73+00, Km83+00 - Km83+500 are flooded for a short time, affecting the lives of people on both sides of the route.

Although the Department of Transport has recently carried out many maintenance projects on the old road to ensure a smooth road surface, there are still some curves with small radii and steep slopes on the route that have not been improved. Regarding this issue, the Department of Transport has reported to the Ministry of Transport to consider and invest in upgrading and expanding National Highway 48. However, because the capital is being focused on key projects, the Ministry of Transport has not been able to balance and arrange it.

In Resolution 162/NQ-CP dated October 4, 2023 of the Government promulgating the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 39-NQ/TW dated July 18, 2023 of the Politburo on construction and development of Nghe An province to 2030, with a vision to 2045, the project to upgrade and expand National Highway 48 from Yen Ly to Quy Hop, from Quy Hop to Que Phong was included in the list of transport infrastructure investment projects striving to be completed before 2030. The Department continues to advise the Provincial People's Committee to propose to the Government, the Ministry of Transport and central ministries and branches to consider investing in upgrading and expanding National Highway 48 in the coming time.

Voters requested the contractor to promptly implement the junction between National Highway 7A and residential roads and houses. Currently, the upgrading and repair of National Highway 7A has been completed, however, these junctions have not been implemented, causing traffic obstruction and danger to people and vehicles participating in traffic.

Discussion: According to the report of Project Management Board 4 - Ministry of Transport: The project to upgrade and renovate National Highway 7, section Km0-Km36 and handle landslides caused by storms and floods, Khe Thoi - Nam Mao, Nghe An province (hereinafter referred to as National Highway 7 Project) through Vinh Thanh commune, under the XDO1 package, has completed the construction of the roadbed and surface and is constructing the remaining auxiliary items. For the residential roads in Vinh Thanh commune, the contractor has completed 10/22 locations and is continuing to complete the remaining locations.

In the coming time, Project Management Board 4 will continue to direct the Contractor to speed up the construction progress, complete the connection of residential roads at locations where asphalt concrete has been completed, to ensure traffic safety and convenience for people when participating in traffic...

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