Hanoi resumes delayed projects

The three projects are the Le Van Luong Tunnel on the city’s Ring Road No 3, the Me So Bridge Project crossing the Hong River and connecting Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway with Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway, and the interchange between Phap Van-Cau Gie expressway and Ring Road No 3.

According to the ministry, investment was planned for the projects but had failed to materialise due to a shortage of funds.

The Le Van Luong Tunnel, designed to incorporate four lanes over a width of 19.1m, requires investment of 547 billion VND (24 million USD). It is part of projects on Ring Road No 3 that are developed using Japan’s overseas development assistance (ODA). However, the tunnel project is ineligible to receive the ODA disbursement because it has been implemented late.

The Me Tri Bridge, 1.5km long and 16m wide, requires investment of 4.5 trillion VND (198 million USD). The bridge should have been built under a Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract but the BOT investor refused to continue the project.

The interchange between Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway and Ring Road No 3 needs investment of 800 billion VND (35.2 million USD) but the ministry failed to find sufficient funding.

Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Hung said that the project on completing the interchange between Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway and Ring Road No 3 included two bridges crossing Linh Dam Lake and two approaching roads to the viaduct.

The bridges and the approaching roads, once completed, could help reduce traffic congestion at the southern gate of Hanoi.

“The city will use its budget to build the two bridges and the approaching roads this year,” Hung said.

Meanwhile, the city would call for investment, especially from the private sector, for the other two projects taken from the transport ministry.