Four major transport projects on track for completion next year

Hanoi’s first metro line

The Cat Linh - Ha Dong metro runs 30-35 kilometers an hour. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

The 13-kilometer Cat Linh – Ha Dong metro line is expected to open commercial operations before the Tet Lunar New Year holiday starting February 2, 2019.

All 13 trains on the route are being trial run every day now, running from Cat Linh Station in downtown Dong Da District to the Yen Nghia Station in the south-west Ha Dong District.

Each train has four coaches, with a total capacity of 1,000 passengers. The stainless steel coaches are approximately 19 meters long. The trains now run at 30-35 kilometers an hour, even though they are designed to reach speeds of 65 kilometers an hour. A complete trip takes about 30 minutes.

Work on the project is 96 percent complete, officials say, adding that the terminals and depots are "83 percent equipped."

Construction of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong elevated railway started in October 2011 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2013. But several hurdles, including loan disbursement issues with China that were only resolved last December, have been stalling the project for years.

The original cost estimate of $552.86 million has also ballooned to more than $868 million, including $670 million in loans from China.

Bac Giang – Lang Son expressway

Workers lay asphalt on the Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway. Photo by Anh Duy

The expressway connecting Bac Giang Province north-east of Hanoi to the northern Lang Son Province bordering China is expected to be completed next December.

The four-lane expressway runs 64 kilometers. A 110-kilometer stretch of the existing National Route 1A connecting the two provinces will also be upgraded to be part of the expressway.

The total project cost has been estimated at VND12.19 trillion ($523.67 million).

Most of the expressway has been completed. Next year, operators will finish laying asphalt and installing road signs and lights.

Work on the expressway started in October 2015 and was scheduled for completion last year. However, the  Ministry of Transport had to select a new investor for the project after the original one was found wanting.

The Bac Giang – Lang Son expressway is part of the Hanoi – Lang Son expressway, connecting the capital with the Huu Nghi International Border Gate in Lang Son Province.

Cu Mong Tunnels 

The Cu Mong Tunnels connect two sourthern provinces. Photo by Anh Duy

The Cu Mong tunnels, connecting the southern provinces of Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, are expected to open on January 21, allowing all vehicles to go through free of charge during the February 2-10 Tet holiday.

The Cu Mong Pass, lies mostly in Binh Dinh and partly in Phu Yen, is one of the most dangerous passes in Vietnam. The new tunnels are expected to reduce the number of dangerous traffic accidents that the pass has become infamous for. They would also reduce travel time between the two provinces.

The two tunnels are 2.6 kilometers long and 30 meters apart and have a 4-kilometer lead-in road. The tunnels allow a maximum speed of 80 kilometers an hour. For an unspecified first period, only one tunnel will be operated. For now, the second one will be reserved for use in emergencies.

The tunnels have a total capital of almost VND4 trillion ($171.82 million). Construction started in September 2015.

Vam Cong Bridge in the Mekong Delta Region

The Vam Cong Bridge is expected to boost the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta region.

The bridge, which connects the southern province of Dong Thap with Can Tho City, is expected to be operational by next July.

This is the second bridge over the Hau River after the Can Tho Bridge, which is 48 kilometers away. It is part of the route connecting Can Tho with An Giang Province, built to boost the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta region.

The bridge was supposed to be completed by November 2017, but authorities found out that a horizonal beam had a crack four centimeters wide and two meters long.

The Ministry of Transport ordered repairs, and so far 26 out of 38 steps for this process has been completed. 

The bridge’s budget of $270 million was sourced through official development assistance from South Korea and Vietnam’s counterpart funds.