Construction of Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 accelerated

After nearly a year of construction, many important items of Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 have been completed. At the construction site, more than 500 workers are racing against time for the bridge to be inaugurated in 2023.

The new bridge is built downstream of the Red River, in parallel with Vinh Tuy Bridge 1, which was built more than 10 years ago.

The new bridge was built with an estimated investment capital of more than VND2.54 trillion (US$109 million), sourced from Hanoi’s public investment fund.

More than 500 workers are currently working three shifts per day. Photo: Pham Cong

The total length of the bridge and the approach roadway is 3,504 meters with four lanes. The bridge is expected to meet growing traffic between Hanoi’s downtown and the north and northeast region of the city.  

Additionally, the project will lay foundation for the development of residential areas in the north of Hanoi, gradually completing the capital city’s transport infrastructure network.

Nguyen Duy Viet Phuong, chief consultant of Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 told The Hanoi Times that the consulting unit regularly follows up and assigns consultants with experience in quality management for the job of supervision. After nearly 12 months of construction, basically the quality, the progress as well as labor safety and environmental sanitation are guaranteed.

“At present, more than 500 workers eat and sleep at the construction site and work three shifts per day. All contractors are doing their utmost to speed up the progress and put the US$109 million bridge into operation from the second quarter of 2023," Phuong added.

Nguyen Quoc Chuong, head of CP01 package of Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 said that despite difficulties due to underwater construction and the Covid-19 pandemic, the progress of the project is ensured.

Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 is under construction, which will contribute to shortening the distance from the old downtown area to the new central area. Photo: Pham Cong

"Construction on the Red River imply many difficulties for contractors, but with modern machinery and skilled human resources, the hurdles have been gradually removed. The pandemic has also troubled our work in terms of machinery and materials transport, but we made plans in advance, so it did not affect the progress," Chuong said.

The Vinh Tuy Bridge 2 project was approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee in 2011. The municipal government on January 9, 2021 announced construction of the bridge, which will become the seventh one spanning the Red River.

In a long-run, Hanoi has planned to build at least ten more bridges connecting Hanoi with neighboring provinces.

According to Chairman of the Hanoi Bridge and Road Association Nguyen Xuan Tan, more bridges built over the Red River imply more opportunities for the development of urban areas along the river.

“In my opinion, whenever possible, Hanoi should build more bridges over the Red River, to connect the traffic system, creating an equal development between the south and the north banks in terms of socio-economic development and culture. More bridges over the Red River are an opportunity for the development of urban areas along the river,” Tan told The Hanoi Times.