According to Song Da 10 Joint Stock Company, at 9:30 am, after workers finished installing explosives, the contractor detonated the final charges, officially breaking through the Deo Ngang tunnel expansion through the Hoanh Son mountain range.
The breakthrough is significant as it allows personnel, vehicles, and materials to move directly through the tunnel instead of taking a detour, accelerating progress towards the December opening.
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The Deo Ngang tunnel expansion breaks through on 16/7. Photo: Dac Thanh |
The Deo Ngang tunnel expansion breaks through on 16/7. Photo: Dac Thanh
The Deo Ngang tunnel expansion begins in Hoanh Son ward, former Ky Anh town (Ha Tinh province), and ends in Phu Trach commune, former Quang Trach district (Quang Tri province). The reinforced concrete tunnel is 650 meters long, 10.5 meters wide, and 7.5 meters high, with two lanes and a design speed of 80 km/h. Construction began in January and is currently one month ahead of schedule.
Along with the main tunnel, the contractor is completing access roads, lighting, and fire protection systems, all on schedule.
The original Deo Ngang tunnel, opened in 2004, is showing signs of exceeding capacity. Once the expansion is complete, the Deo Ngang tunnel will operate with two parallel tunnels and a 20.5-meter-wide road, including four lanes for motor vehicles and two lanes for rudimentary vehicles.
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Deo Ngang road tunnel, with the original tunnel from 2004 on the left and the expansion under construction on the right. Photo: Hung Le |
Deo Ngang road tunnel, with the original tunnel from 2004 on the left and the expansion under construction on the right. Photo: Hung Le
In 6/2024, the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) approved the project to upgrade and expand several bridges and tunnels on National Highway 1: Xuong Giang bridge over the Thuong river (Bac Ninh province); Gianh bridge and Quan Hau bridge (Quang Tri province); and the Deo Ngang road tunnel connecting Ha Tinh and Quang Tri provinces.
The total investment for these projects is nearly 2,000 billion VND. The project requires the acquisition of 4.33 hectares of land in Bac Ninh, 11 hectares in Ha Tinh, and 23 hectares in Quang Tri.
These bridges and tunnels are located on a major national highway with heavy traffic and frequent congestion due to only having two lanes for motor vehicles. The Ministry of Construction believes the expansion will contribute to completing the national highway network as planned, address bottlenecks, improve traffic safety, and promote socio-economic development in the localities where the projects are located.
Duc Hung - Dac Thanh