"Firefighting" style road patching on Highway 786: People worried, accidents lurking

However, in recent years, this road has continuously collapsed and deteriorated. To ensure the safety of vehicles and road users, the authorities have repeatedly organized patching and repairs.

However, during the implementation process, the patching not only failed to fix the damaged areas but also created additional risks of accidents for drivers traveling on this route.

Route 786 - the main traffic axis connecting Tay Ninh city with Chau Thanh, Ben Cau districts and Trang Bang town.

According to the reporter's records, along Highway 786 from Thanh Dien intersection to Ben Cau town, a series of road patches were constructed with cement concrete 3 cm to 8 cm lower than the existing asphalt surface; meanwhile, there are still many spots with sunken, cracked asphalt surfaces, even becoming potholes in the middle of the road.

The patching point is made of cement concrete, lower than the existing road surface.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, a resident of Long Giang Commune, Ben Cau District, said that the patching points on Road 786 were constructed about 3 weeks ago. Initially, the construction unit cut the asphalt surface into rectangles at the sunken and cracked points, then used a machine to dig up the base stone layer and then poured cement concrete on top. However, this cement layer was 3 cm to 8 cm lower than the road surface.

According to Ms. Lan, the difference in elevation with the old road surface makes two-wheeled vehicle drivers very afraid of slipping and falling. Meanwhile, other vehicles are jerked when passing, which is very uncomfortable.

The cement layer is lower than the existing road surface.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, a resident living near the Ben Cau District Medical Center, was upset: "Motorbikes running across the patched areas jolted as if they had fallen into a pothole. It's difficult for adults to handle, let alone students. In many cases, vehicles avoided these patched areas, almost colliding with other vehicles, posing a potential risk of traffic accidents."

According to a resident in Long Phi hamlet, Long Thuan commune, the road repair and patching work has been completed and concrete poured for more than 3 weeks now. The prolonged construction, lack of careful barriers, and lack of warning signs from a distance also pose a danger to road users. Meanwhile, the lighting system in some sections far from residential areas is still limited, making traffic even more dangerous.

The cement layer is 3 cm to 8 cm lower than the road surface.

A truck driver who regularly operates on this route also shared: “The concrete has been dry and hard for about a week, but the construction unit has not yet poured asphalt over it. People with weak driving skills such as women, students or those driving two-wheeled vehicles carrying heavy loads can easily slip on the longitudinal edges of the patch. Meanwhile, our trucks carrying goods have to continuously reduce speed. The patched road is uneven, the vehicle sways easily causing damage to the suspension system and tires, costing a lot of money to repair, and the risk of accidents is always present.”

Faced with this situation, local residents and businesses have requested the Tay Ninh provincial transport sector to promptly inspect and re-evaluate the construction quality of the repaired sections. At the same time, there should be a plan to synchronously upgrade Route 786 instead of just patching the damaged areas, in order to ensure traffic safety, promote trade and stabilize the lives of people in the border area.