Rach Mieu 2 Bridge eliminates traffic bottleneck on Dong Thap

After over a week of operation, the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge has alleviated congestion on the Rach Mieu 1 Bridge, ending nearly a decade of gridlock on the highway connecting Dong Thap and Vinh Long provinces.

Similarly, the volume of vehicles on the on-ramps to the bridge and the section of Highway 60 connecting the bridge to the toll station has decreased significantly. The photo shows the BOT Rach Mieu toll station, a stark contrast to the usual rush hour congestion.

Last Sunday during peak hours, the main on-ramp to the bridge, viewed from Phu Tuc commune (Vinh Long), was free of the usual long lines of cars and motorcycles.

The Rach Mieu 1 Bridge, inaugurated in 2009, has a deck only 15 m wide and spans 2.9 km. When the Co Chien Bridge on Highway 60, connecting Ben Tre and Tra Vinh (now part of the Dong Thap – Vinh Long route), opened in 2015, traffic on the route surged to approximately 20,000 vehicles daily.

Both ends of the Rach Mieu 1 Bridge were frequently congested, not just during peak hours on weekends and holidays, but daily between 3 PM and 5 PM. Drivers often waited for hours to cross. However, after a little over a week of operation, the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge has resolved this bottleneck, reducing traffic, especially cars, by about 50%.

4 km away, the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge has seen considerable traffic after a week of operation. Since the main bridge and the My Tho Bridge only allow motorcycles and cars, there are detours at the base of the bridges near Con Thoi Son (Thoi Son ward, Dong Thap) for non-motorized vehicles like bicycles, e-bikes, and specialized vehicles.

The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge approach includes five bridges, most of which are large, eliminating the bottlenecks that plague the Rach Chuoi Bridge on the Rach Mieu 1 Bridge approach. Pictured is the Ba Lai Bridge on the Vinh Long side, consisting of the main bridge and two auxiliary bridges.

During the peak hours of 3 PM to 5 PM on Sunday, 24/8, traffic flowed smoothly across the old bridge with no congestion.

"For over a decade, weekends have always meant traffic jams. It's a relief to see the road clear, but I'm also worried about the impact on my business," said Nguyen Thanh Binh, a business owner near the Rach Mieu Bridge.

The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, viewed from Con Thoi Son, with the old bridge in the distance. The project, started in 3/2022 and opened on 19/8, has a total investment of over 6,800 billion VND. The bridge is 17.6 km long, including a 1.9 km main section, 21.5 m wide, with 4 lanes and a design speed of 80 km/h.

The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is the second cable-stayed bridge designed and built by Vietnamese engineers. The project begins at the Dong Tam intersection (the junction of Highway 1 and Provincial Road 870) in Long Hung commune, Dong Thap province, and ends at Highway 60, about 0.7 km from the north abutment of the Ham Luong Bridge in Ben Tre ward, Vinh Long province.

Location of the two bridges. Graphics: Khanh Hoang

Many drivers have opted for the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge since its inauguration a week ago.

"For those traveling to Soc Trang and Tra Vinh after exiting the TP HCM - Trung Luong Expressway, the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge shortens the journey by nearly 10 km and saves almost an hour compared to the old bridge," said driver Pham Thanh Tam.