HÀ NỘI – The Transport Ministry has proposed Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc put on hold investment in building the Tuyên Quang-Phú Thọ expressway until 2020.

In a report sent to the prime minister recently, the transport ministry said there was no immediate need to build the expressway before 2020 because the current two-lane National Highway No. 2 is capable of meeting transport demand until 2020, based on a preliminary estimate on the number of vehicles travelling on this highway.

The People’s Committee of the northern province of Tuyên Quang earlier asked the ministry to invest in building the 40km expressway with estimated investment capital of more than VNĐ4.4 trillion (US$197 million) through a public-private-partnership model.

The project will be divided into two phases and the state is projected to support nearly 30 per cent of the capital, equivalent to some VNĐ1.32 trillion ($59 million).

The ministry said the plan to invest in building the expressway was reasonable, creating conditions for the socio-economic development of mountainous localities in the northwestern region.

However, amid the current context of the lack of resources, it was not feasible to use the state’s capital support for the project.

The ministry noted that it had already submitted a project to develop the east of the North-South expressway system until 2020, in line with Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng’ guidelines, to authorised agencies for consideration and approval.

Since State capital would be used to invest in the North-South expressway system before 2020, investment in the Tuyên Quang-Phú Thọ expressway should be considered after 2020, it said.

Hà Nội elevated roads

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng has just asked the People’s Committee of Hà Nội to work on a feasibility study for a project to build an elevated road along Ring Road 2, from Vĩnh Tuy Bridge to Ngã Tư Sở.

Ring Road No 2 was planned by the city’s Transport Department and includes a 5 km flyer over connecting Vinh Tuy Bridge with Mơ Market and Vọng Intersection. It is expected to cost VND5 trillion ($227 million).
According to city authorities, the construction of the elevated road in order to complete this ring road would facilitate economic development in the region and reduce traffic jams.- VNS