The Chiếc Bridge in Thường Tín District. — Photo ktdt.vn

HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội Urban Traffic Works Investment Management Board has proposed the city allocate fund to upgrade eight weak bridges.

In 2011, the municipal People’s Committee was approved to appoint contractors to build or upgrade 34 bridges in the city. The projects were deemed urgent to ensure traffic flow and safety, yet not all the bridges have received upgrades.

After six years of implementation, 16 bridges have been reported as downgraded. Of those, eight were seriously weak, including Chiếc Bridge in Thường Tín District, Suối Hai 1 in Ba Vì District, Phú Tiên Bridge in Hà Nam District, Hạ Dục in Chương Mỹ District, Gốm in Chương Mỹ District, Hồng Phú in Thanh Oai District, Phú Thứ in Thạch Thất District and Ái Mỗ in Sơn Tây Town.

These bridges have a high usage rate, causing traffic congestion and danger, especially during stormy season. Management units have installed warning signals on trucks’ weight and mobilised staff to be on duty during peak hours to monitor the bridges.

Chiếc Bridge was built in 1999 with maximum capacity of 10 tonnes. In 2010, the bridge was reinforced with steel plates on its surface and a barrier was installed to prevent trucks taller than 2.1 metres getting through.

However, since the Giáp Bát-Kim Bài bus route was set up, the barrier has become useless.

A resident in Hiền Giang Commune’s Nhân Hiền Commune said that the bridge was slippery in the rain and traffic jams struck everyday.

Other bridges are in the same situation. Ái Mỗ Bridge even lacks a pedestrian path, forcing them to walk on the road for vehicles.

Phùng Tuấn Minh, director of Hà Tây Road Management No1 Company said that among these eight bridges, some were built in the previous century with outdated technical criteria and low capacity, which failed to ensure traffic flow.

Head of Thạch Thất District’s People’s Committee’s Urban Management Unit Phí Đình Phùng said these bridges had not been upgraded due to a shortage of funds.

He cited Hạ Dục, Gốm, Hồng Phú bridges as examples. The bridges were approved for upgrades in 2012, but these have not been carried out.

Capital investment for these bridges was about VNĐ10-115 billion (US$440,000-5.06 million) depending on the repair levels.

Phùng said that upgrading the bridges was necessary and should be done promptly to ensure socio-economic development in the city. – VNS