Quảng Đà Bridge spans over the Yên River, and connects Quảng Nam Province and Đà Nẵng City. The bridge and linked roads project, which began in 2023, will be open to traffic later in 2025. Photo courtesy of Nga Sơn

ĐÀ NẴNG — Quảng Đà Bridge project, spanning over Yên River and connecting the central city of Đà Nẵng and neighbouring province Quảng Nam, was open to traffic on Thursday.

The 1.4km bridge and linked roads project, which was built at a cost of VNĐ274 billion (US$11 million) from 2023, is a key landmark in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Reunification Day of Đà Nẵng (March 29) and Quảng Nam Province (March 24).

The four-lane bridge and entrance will help ease ring-road traffic from the north of Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng City’s Highway No 14B, over the Yên River.

Đà Nẵng also started upgrading the project with an investment of VNĐ673 billion ($27 million) aiming to make it an eco-tour and biodiversity conservation site in the city’s downtown area.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Chairman of the Đà Nẵng City People's Committee Lê Trung Chinh stated that during the resistance war against the American imperialists, both banks of the Yên River served as a vital transportation route for our military and people.

"Today, a bridge has been built to connect the two sides, improving transportation, gradually completing the traffic network, and promoting economic and social development in both areas. To maximise the project's effectiveness, authorities must urgently complete the ongoing construction work while also focusing on maintenance and upkeep to ensure the bridge's safe and sustainable operation."

About 95 per cent of the total works have been done.

Tô Phú, a 70-year-old man from Hòa Khương Commune, Hòa Vang District, Đà Nẵng City, shared: “My hometown is in Điện Tiến Commune (Điện Bàn Town, Quảng Nam Province), but I got married and settled in Hòa Khương Commune. In the past, I had to take a ferry across the river to visit my hometown or take a detour that was several dozen kilometers long. Now, with the new bridge, I can simply walk across to visit my hometown, which makes me very happy…”

A technical completion ceremony for the Quảng Đà Bridge and linked roads project in Đà Nẵng City. The bridge creates smooth traffic between Quảng Nam's Điện Bàn Town and Đà Nẵng City's Hòa Vang district. Photo courtesy of Thanh Hồng

A series of key traffic projects between the two tourism hubs have been planned including Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) system connecting Hội An and Đà Nẵng, a mass transport traffic system linking Chu Lai Airport and Đà Nẵng International Airport, an express network from Đà Nẵng to Thạnh Mỹ (Quảng Nam Province) town and the Bờ Y border check-point in the central highlands Kon Tum province.

The two local areas also agreed to dredge a 28km section of the Cổ Cò River to boost tourism inner waterway services between Hội An and Đà Nẵng.

A report from Quảng Nam provincial transport department revealed that a total of 15 bridges have been planned in connection between Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng. — VNS