Sa Pa to Hanoi highway gets finishing touches

Costing VND2.5 trillion ($110.3 million), the highway is connected to Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway, which links Hanoi with the northwest province of Lao Cai, home to popular tourist town Sa Pa.

After a year of construction, the highway’s first phase has been basically completed and is set to open to traffic within the first half of 2022.

The highway runs beside a stream. At many sections, construction units have had to change the flow of the stream.

Ten kilometers along the highway, constructors are experiencing difficulties due to the rocky mountainous terrain.
The contractor, Lao Cai – Sa Pa BOT JSC, is planning to use explosives for land clearance.

Dozens of culverts were built underneath the highway to prevent flooding during the rainy season.

There are six bridges along the highway, including the Mong Sen viaduct, which has the highest pier in Vietnam, rising 83 meters.

Vi Van Mien, 42, works on one of the bridges that crosses a stream. Around 350 workers are currently deployed on the project.

The new highway (R) runs parallel to the existing route connecting Hanoi with Sa Pa, National Highway 4D.
The new route shortens the total distance by seven kilometers (4.35 miles), and allows travelers to avoid several dangerous turns.

Links have also been built to connect National Highway 4D with the new route.
Once the new highway enters use, toll stations would be placed at the Mong Sen viaduct in a way people could still choose to use the old route without paying a fee.

A section of the highway that has recently been cleared for construction.