Thuận An sea-crossing bridge is completed in Huế City. The heritage urban plans to open it to public traffic by the end of April. Photo courtesy of Huế Portal

HUẾ — A long-awaited link is set to bridge more than water as Huế, the heritage city, prepares to open the Thuận An sea-crossing bridge, easing connections across key economic zones and beyond.

The city will open to public traffic on the Thuận An sea-crossing bridge, the longest in the central coastal region, after a four-year construction period, offering smooth connectivity between key economic zones, the national coastal transport network, and improving links with neighbouring areas.

According to local authorities, completion and decoration works have been revving up since early this year in inaugurating the key traffic project by the end of April in celebration of the country’s Reunification Day.

It said the project, which includes a 2.36km bridge and a 5.3km linked-road network and the other infrastructure items, was built for VNĐ2.4 trillion (US$96 million) for the first phase, opening an easy traffic connection with the neighbouring provinces of Quảng Bình (in merger with Quảng Trị) and Đà Nẵng, as well as the East-West Economic Corridor linking Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Việt Nam.

Local authorities said the completion of the 20-metre-wide and four-lane bridge will help create a 1,500-hectare beach urban zone for investment and the development of the Thuận An township and the Chân Mây-Lăng Cô Economic Zone, promising an economic growth centred on tourism, the seaport and industrial parks.

A view of the Hương River in Huế City. The tourism hub has been speeding up investment projects in building it a 'smart' and low carbon urban in central Việt Nam. Photo courtesy of Huế Portal

Huế has accelerated construction of key infrastructure projects, including sections of the National North–South Expressway at Cam Lộ–La Sơn–Túy Loan, the Việt Nam–Singapore Industrial Park and the strategic Chân Mây–Lăng Cô Economic Zone.

The city has also approved a new river-crossing bridge to connect the downtown area with Cồn Hến, or Hến sandbank. The project, spanning 2.76km, is scheduled for implementation in 2026–30 with an investment of VNĐ2.2 trillion ($88 million).

Last year, the six-lane Nguyễn Hoàng bridge opened to traffic across both sides of the Hương River, marking a step forward in efforts to develop Huế into a smart, low-carbon urban area.

Earlier this year, the city approved the construction schedule for seven investment projects totalling $278.74 million in April. — VNS