A worker replaces Long Biên Bridge’s railings according to the approved repair plan. — VNA/VNS Photo Trung Nguyên

HÀ NỘI — After nearly two months of round-the-clock repairs, Hà Nội’s historic Long Biên Bridge is preparing to reopen on May 27, restoring a vital route for thousands of residents while giving the century-old structure what officials described as a “new coat”.

Nguyễn Thanh Phương, deputy director of Hà Hải Railway Joint Stock Company under Việt Nam Railways, said the contractor began work immediately after traffic was suspended on March 28 in an effort to accelerate progress.

“The team has deployed four work fronts with 80 workers and numerous machines and equipment to carry out repair tasks,” he said.

The project involved removing the old surface, treating the existing deck structure, fabricating steel reinforcement, welding or replacing damaged iron railings, repairing pedestrian slabs and re-pouring concrete across the entire pedestrian carriageway to ensure smoothness and traffic safety.

Phương said the project faced significant challenges because Long Biên Bridge is more than a century old and the work area was too cramped for large mechanical equipment to access the site.

As a result, concrete slabs for the two side carriageways were precast offsite and transported by small vehicles for installation. Workers then added a further 5cm layer of concrete surfacing to improve smoothness.

Pouring concrete on the bridge deck also created technical difficulties because the material required time to set and cure. Workers used hand-held tamping machines to compact and level the materials to create a stable foundation for the repairs.

“Throughout the repair works, trains have continued to run frequently, which has forced the tasks to be organised in alternating to minimise impact on the structure and on rail operations. The repair schedule had to be calculated day by day to ensure on-time completion,” Phương said.

According to the project schedule, the contractor has completed concrete pouring, finished the railings and replaced damaged pedestrian slabs. The bridge is therefore expected to reopen on May 27 as planned.

Long Biên Bridge was completed in 1902 based on a design by the French firm Daydé & Pillé. It remains the only railway bridge linking Hà Nội’s urban centre with northern provinces and is regarded as an important historical landmark associated with the country’s two resistance wars.

After more than a century of use, many sections of the bridge have deteriorated significantly and have undergone several temporary repairs to maintain safe operations.

Last year, the railway sector also carried out repairs to the bridge’s understructure and to the surface of Trần Nhật Duật Road, the overpass connecting Long Biên Station with Long Biên Bridge.

The Ministry of Construction and the Hà Nội People’s Committee are currently processing the handover of the national railway infrastructure section from Gia Lâm to Hà Nội, which is expected to be completed this year. Officials have described the move as an important step towards future renovation phases for the capital’s historic bridge.

From March 28, Long Biên Bridge closed both side carriageways between Hoàn Kiếm and Bồ Đề wards to allow the emergency repair project to proceed. — VNS