A representative of Vietnam Expressway Services Engineering Joint Stock Company (VECE), the expressway's management unit, announced on the afternoon of 24/7 that after nearly 10 days of partial closure for expansion joint repairs, the Long Thanh bridge will be fully reopened. The contractor will clear the site and restore the road surface before 12 PM tomorrow, stabilizing traffic flow. The repairs were completed 5 days ahead of schedule.
The 2.3 km Long Thanh bridge is the largest on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway. It spans nearly 20 m wide with 4 lanes and a design speed of 100 km/h.
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Congestion on the Long Thanh bridge near the construction area on 17/7. Photo: Quynh Tran |
Congestion on the Long Thanh bridge near the construction area on 17/7. Photo: Quynh Tran
Repairs on the damaged expansion joint of the Long Thanh bridge (Dong Nai to Ho Chi Minh City direction) began on the night of 15/7. The construction unit partially closed the bridge and imposed speed limits. The resulting congestion stretched towards Dong Nai despite continuous remote traffic management by the expressway authorities and traffic police, as traffic volume on the route is substantial.
The traffic jams intensified as they coincided with the closure of provincial road 743 near Dong Nai bridge for construction of the Tan Van interchange, part of Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 3. Both routes are critical arteries connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, so the simultaneous closures caused widespread congestion at the eastern gateway to the city.
The 55 km Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway, with 4 lanes and two emergency lanes, opened in 2015. In recent years, the expressway has frequently experienced congestion on weekends and holidays due to heavy traffic.
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Route of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway. Graphics: Khanh Hoang |
Route of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway. Graphics: Khanh Hoang
An expansion of nearly 22 km, from Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 2 to the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway interchange, is scheduled for 19/8. Ho Chi Minh City is also preparing to upgrade the over 3 km section from An Phu interchange to Ring Road 2 to synchronize the entire route.
Giang Anh
