The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam recently reported to the Ministry of Construction regarding repair work under the warranty responsibility of contractors on the eastern North-South Expressway.
During operation, some sections have shown damage. The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has repeatedly urged, inspected, and requested investors to direct contractors to fix these issues to ensure project quality and traffic safety. However, the resolution of these problems has not yet met requirements.
Unresolved issues by investors and contractors include: cracked bridge expansion joint concrete, detached expansion joints; road surface rutting, localized cracking; eroded embankments; and missing, fallen, or open fences. This damage poses traffic safety risks and reduces the project's quality and lifespan.
For example, on the Cao Bo – Mai Son expressway, passing through Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa, subsidence and cracking have appeared at locations from kilometer 259 to kilometer 268. Peeling and potholes are also present in some sections and at the Mai Son interchange roundabout.
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A contractor repairs an expansion joint on the National Route 45 – Nghi Son expressway in 3/2025. Photo: Le Hoang |
On the Mai Son – National Route 45 expressway, some road sections show peeling, and expansion joints on Ha Linh 2 bridge, Dong Thanh bridge, and Kenh Bac bridge are detached.
On the National Route 45 – Nghi Son expressway, passing through Thanh Hoa, the asphalt concrete road surface has sagged, rutted, and shown localized depressions at several points. Additionally, expansion joints on Thanh Phong bridge, Do Bi road overpass, Hoa Binh bridge, National Route 47C overpass, and Cung Dien – Lien Minh bridge are also damaged.
To enforce contractor warranty responsibilities, the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam recommends that the Ministry of Construction direct specialized agencies to inspect and urge investors to rectify damages under warranty, and to develop specific plans with clear completion deadlines.
Concurrently, investors need to consider and address the responsibility of contractors who delay repairs, in accordance with regulations on accountability for heads of agencies or units assigned as investors or investor representatives.
The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam will continue to monitor and urge investors and contractors to complete repairs. Should delays persist or repairs fail to meet requirements, impacting traffic safety, the Directorate will consider taking action or reporting to competent authorities for resolution as per legal regulations.
The Mai Son – National Route 45 expressway, 63 km long, and the National Route 45 – Nghi Son expressway, 43 km long, are two component projects of the North-South Expressway phase 1 (2017-2021). Construction began in 2021 and was completed in 2023. These expressways feature 4 lanes, with emergency stopping points instead of continuous emergency lanes, and a maximum speed limit of 90 km/h.
Anh Duy
