Hope for no traffic jams
According to information from the Ministry of Transport, by the end of 2023, 3 major transport projects will be completed and put into use, including: My Thuan 2 Bridge, My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway, and Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho Expressway.
In particular, the My Thuan 2 bridge project has a total length of 6.61 km, designed with 6 lanes, a design speed of 80 km/h, started in March 2022, and so far the construction output has reached more than 96% of the contract value, the main cable-stayed bridge has been completed. The contractor is completing the remaining items to open to traffic before December 31. This project with a total investment of 5,000 billion VND is not only the largest cable-stayed bridge designed and constructed by Vietnamese contractors, but also a project that people in Tien Giang and Vinh Long provinces in particular and the Mekong Delta region in general have been eagerly waiting for.
My Thuan 2 Bridge parallel to the existing My Thuan Bridge is gradually being completed.
Along with that, My Thuan - Can Tho expressway has a total length of nearly 23 km, phase 1 investment scale of 4 lanes started in January 2021, up to now has reached 76% of the construction volume according to the contract value. The bridge section has been basically completed, asphalt paving work has been constructed for more than 8 km; 80% of the traffic safety system has been gathered at the construction site to speed up progress, bringing the project to the finish line before December 31. Thus, when My Thuan 2 bridge is completed, together with My Thuan - Can Tho expressway, the expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, more than 160 km long, will be connected, shortening travel time to just over 2 hours instead of nearly 4 hours as at present.
Excitedly inviting his friends to his house in Soc Trang to play after a self-driving test trip back to his hometown last weekend, Mr. Minh Dang (residing in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City) said that it only took him exactly 4 hours to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Soc Trang, including the rest time at the highway stop. Starting early at 6 am, the road was quite empty, but when reaching the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong highway, the traffic was heavier. Therefore, in many sections, Mr. Dang could only drive at a speed of 60 km/h. It was not until he reached the Trung Luong - My Thuan highway that he could drive at a steady speed of 80 km/h. Not to mention, My Thuan bridge is currently overloaded, and on weekends there are many cars so he did not dare to drive fast.
"Before the Trung Luong - My Thuan expressway, my family took at least 7 hours to go home by bus, and traveling during the day was like taking almost 2 full days. If we took the night trip, we would be exhausted the next morning. Now, traveling only takes about 4 hours, which is already a great joy. Not only do we have the opportunity to see the gardens and rice fields on both sides, but we also have enough time to work when we get there. If there is now the My Thuan 2 bridge and the new expressway, the trip to Soc Trang will be shortened by at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. The My Thuan - Can Tho route, especially the section avoiding Vinh Long city, is currently overloaded. If this route is connected early before Tet, it will greatly reduce the amount of traffic during this year's Tet peak," said Mr. Minh Dang.
Similarly, Mr. Pham Huu Hau (from Vinh Long) said that every year when Tet comes, although he is from the West, much closer to Ho Chi Minh City than many of his colleagues, his journey home for Tet is not smoother than everyone else's. The road is only about 150 km long but always encounters miserable traffic jams during the holiday season. The most annoying part is Ben Luc bridge (Long An), An Thai Trung and An Huu intersection (Tien Giang) and My Thuan bridge area (Vinh Long) where traffic jams are constant. The most terrible traffic jam is the My Thuan bridge area, sometimes having to stand still for hours.
"Because My Thuan Bridge is the only way from Ho Chi Minh City to my house in Vinh Long, and many people do, everyone flocks here. Many times, from the access road, I have to ride my motorbike for about 30-45 minutes to get to the bridge. I remember several times I came home late during Tet, and only got a day off on the 29th or 30th of Tet, so when I got close to home, I felt very anxious. However, when I reached the end of Tien Giang, I only had to cross the river to get home, but the road seemed to stretch on endlessly because of traffic jams. It was very tiring and tiring," Mr. Hau exclaimed and affirmed that My Thuan 2 Bridge, which will be put into use before Tet, will be a joy for most people in Vinh Long and the Western provinces.
My Thuan 2 Bridge has reached over 96% of construction volume.
Wherever the highway goes, there is joy.
Over the past decade, while many provinces and cities across the country have been busy building and inaugurating many highways, the southern region in general and the Mekong Delta in particular have almost "frozen". Only one highway project has been started (Trung Luong - My Thuan highway, more than 50 km long) and had to go through a long period of inactivity, until April 30, 2022, when it was completed and put into use. Therefore, the news that each highway in the Mekong Delta region has been started and completed brings great joy to the people of the South.
In mid-June, the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway, over 188 km long, passing through 4 provinces of the Mekong Delta with a total investment of nearly 44,700 billion VND, was officially started. Expected to be completed in 2027, the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang route and the An Huu - Cao Lanh route are two expressways along the region's horizontal axis, connecting the vertical axes, reducing pressure on National Highway 1, N1 route, especially the overloaded National Highway 91... At the same time, it contributes to completing the regional transport network, connecting the economy and society of the Western provinces with Cambodia and Southeast Asian countries.
According to the planning of the Ministry of Transport, the expressway for the Mekong Delta region alone will be about 760 km by 2030 and after 2030, an additional 420 km will be invested. The total expected investment capital for expressway projects in the Mekong Delta in the period of 2026 - 2030 is about 200,000 billion VND.
"It has been a long time since the Southern region, especially the Mekong Delta, witnessed such strong movements in transport infrastructure," shared Dr. Nguyen Huu Nguyen (Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association).
According to Dr. Nguyen, for many years, the key economic region in the South, the Mekong Delta, has been somewhat "disadvantaged" compared to the northern provinces in terms of connecting traffic networks. The sluggish traffic infrastructure for many years has "tied up" the economy, slowing down the speed of urban formation and development. Therefore, the simultaneous commencement and completion of key projects in the South is a step to realize the policy of strengthening the traffic network for the South and the West. This is the right direction that the National Assembly and the Government have also determined for a vision of sustainable, long-term development. Wherever the highway connects, people are happy.
"These projects are even more meaningful when they are completed at a time when the country's economy is going through difficulties. Wherever the road connects, the economy will develop. People will also save time, money and effort on travel. Not only highways but also high-speed railways and waterways are being invested in by the Central Government and ministries and branches. The Southern and Western regions are facing a strong push for economic development," said Dr. Nguyen Huu Nguyen.
Before, I usually only went back to my hometown twice a year, during Tet and mid-year. Traffic jams and long travel times made me bored. This year, I have gone back to my hometown three times in 10 months. If there is a highway to Can Tho or Soc Trang, I will probably go back every 1-2 months, just like a vacation. The highway connects to each other, making it convenient for work and study. People from the West who are far from home like me will be able to go back and forth more often, connecting with relatives and family more.
Mr. Minh Dang (from Soc Trang, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City)
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