Soon investing in two interchanges of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway

The use of the interchange in Gia Loc district has contributed to connecting traffic and promoting the provincial socio-economic development

To date, in Hai Duong, only one interchange of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway in Gia Loc district has been put into use, while the construction of two others in Binh Giang and Thanh Ha districts is unfinished and halted. In the current context, the continuation and early completion of the construction of the remaining two interchanges are important to the provincial socio-economic development.

VIDIFI's capital shortage

Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway project is invested in by Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment JSC. (VIDIFI) in BOT form. The first phase of the project was completed and put into exploitation in 2015.

The road is more than 105 km long, in which the section crossing Hai Duong has a length of 39 km.

According to the original design, there will be nine interchanges on the whole route, including three in Hai Duong. VIDIFI designed all interchanges, completed site clearance, chose contractors, and organized construction.

However, in the process of project implementation, in November 2012, the Ministry of Transport required investment separation and suspension of the execution of some interchanges to save costs.

In 2014, VIDIFI adjusted the total investment in  Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway project, in which unrealized items of the two interchanges in Thanh Ha and Binh Giang districts were excluded from the total investment in the project.

According to the original design, the interchange in Binh Giang district will consist of a flyover 215.2 m long, a civilian sewer 35 m long, a tollhouse, and approaches 3.6 km long.

VIDIFI finished site clearance, designed the construction, and built some items like bored cast-in-place piles, piers, one span of flyover girder, and part of foundation reinforcement piles. About VND35 billion was poured into the construction of the interchange.

Site clearance and some work like digging, embankment, and erection of sand piles for foundation reinforcement for the interchange at km70+660 to connect provincial road 390 in Thanh Ha district were completed with an implementation value of about VND1 billion.

As reported by VIDIFI, the unit is facing a lot of difficulties in capital sources, so the construction of the two interchanges cannot be done in the current period.

Early investment needed

Some items of the interchange of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway in Binh Giang district has been built

The interchanges of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway in the province are important traffic connection points in the overall development of a transport network between Hai Duong and neighboring provinces. Early construction and exploitation of these interchanges are of urgent significance to meet the province's socio-economic development requirements.

The provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board has announced the continuation of VIDIFI’s construction of the interchanges of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway.

In Notice 141-TB/TU dated March 20, 2021, the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board suggested that VIDIFI coordinate with the provincial People’s Committee to report to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Transport, relevant ministries and sectors, and Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) for permission to continue investment in the two interchanges.

At the end of March 2021, the provincial People’s Committee sent a written request to the Ministry of Transport and VDB to consider approval to build the two interchanges.

The provincial authorities suggested completion of construction and exploitation of the interchange in Binh Giang district in 2021 and finalization of construction of the interchange in Thanh Ha district in 2022.

Regarding implementation funds, the provincial authorities asked the Ministry of Transport and VDB to allow VIDIFI to use tolls collected from national highway 5 and Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway or continue to use loans from VDB for construction.

In case of really difficult capital sources, the provincial People’s Committee will call on investors benefiting from the two interchanges to support or advance part of the funds to continue and complete the construction of the interchanges.

The Department of Transport has also worked with VIDIFI and related parties to review investment costs for the two interchanges, updated the 2021 financial plan for the investment project, and proposed construction plans to the provincial People’s Committee.

If invested in and put into use, the two interchanges in Binh Giang and Thanh Ha districts will connect the traffic network between provincial roads 390 and 392 and important projects the provincial authorities have been focusing on investment in.

Together with connection, the two interchanges of Ha Noi – Hai Phong expressway will contribute to overcoming overload on national highways 5, 37, 38B, and 38 and solving traffic bottlenecks of areas.

The interchanges will also facilitate commodity circulation, comprehensive development of economy, society, industrial zones, and services, and maximal exploitation of the potential of thriving areas in the province.

Specifically, early investment in the interchanges plays an important role in separating traffic and dealing with special and urgent situations like natural disasters, epidemics, security and defense of the province, etc.

LAN NGUYEN