The design of Tứ Liên Bridge across the Hồng (Red) River. Photo ktdt.vn

 HÀ NỘI – To create seamless connection between economic and political centres, regions and satellite towns, the capital Hà Nội will have a series of new bridges across the Hồng (Red) River under the Capital Plan for 2021 - 2030.

The plan clearly defines the goal of developing Hà Nội with the main, symbolic landscape axis along the Red River.

At the beginning of this year, the Hà Nội Department of Transport has promoted the construction project of Tứ Liên Bridge.

Accordingly, the department signed a memorandum of understanding of investment co-operation and construction for a number of key projects in the city.

The relevant parties agreed to co-operate and share experiences in implementing and researching key transport infrastructure projects in Hà Nội, including the investment project to build Tứ Liên Bridge.

Along with Tứ Liên Bridge, the project to build Thượng Cát Bridge, one of 10 bridges across the Red River, will be implemented in 2015-2030.

According to the approved architectural plan, Thuợng Cát Bridge has a length of 820m, a width of 33m and six lanes for motor vehicle and two mixed lanes.

The bridge has four main spans with a cable-stayed structure and the bridge piers are designed to simulate the wings of a "Bird of Peace".

Phạm Văn Duân, deputy director of the Hà Nội Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board, said that the unit is completing the bridge design plan and project construction documents to select contractors.

“If these works are completed soon, the Thượng Cát Bridge construction and roads leading to the bridge will be started in October this year,” said Duân.

Hồng Hà and Mễ Sở are two bridges belonging to the national key transportation project of Ring Road 4 – Hà Nội Capital Region, which have been identified as priority for implementation in 2024.

The Mễ Sở Bridge project will connect from Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Expressway to Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Expressway with the purpose of streamlining traffic and reducing vehicles entering the inner-city area while increasing the exploitation efficiency of the two expressways, contributing to the socio-economic development of Hà Nội, Hưng Yên and other neighbouring provinces.

In addition to Hồng Hà and Mễ Sở, the city also plans to start the project of the Vân Phúc Bridge in Phúc Thọ District in the second quarter this year.

The bridge with a length of 7.76km has a total investment of more than VNĐ3.4trillion (US$136 million) passing through communes of Phụng Thượng, Long Xuyên, Xuân Đình and Vân Phúc.

The main bridge crossing the river, the viaduct crossing the Vân Cốc Lake and the bridge leading to Hà Nội are 20.5m wide with four lanes for motor vehicles and two lanes for rudimentary vehicles.

The road connecting Highway 32 to the viaduct is 32m wide, with six lanes for motor vehicles and two lanes for rudimentary vehicles.

According to urban planning experts, constructing bridges across the Red River will create connection between areas on both sides of the river, accelerating socio-economic development and creating a new appearance in development for the northern areas of the river in accordance with planning orientation.

“In addition to linking traffic arteries, many bridges over the Red River also have great significance for urban planning and social organisation of the Hà Nội urban area,” said Nguyễn Xuân Tân, president of the Hà Nội Road and Bridge Association.

“Only by having a good bridge system, allowing people to travel conveniently, will the urban area be restructured properly and population density be reasonably distributed, thereby socio-economic development will be more uniform among regions,” said Tân. VNS