HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s People Committee has announced plans to lower and expand Âu Cơ Road along the Hồng (Red) River Dyke in Tây Hồ District, which is the shortest route connecting the city centre and Nội Bài International Airport.

The municipal committee has submitted the plan to the Government Office, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Ministry of Finance, asking for a special mechanism to simplify investment procedures so that work can be completed by the middle of 2020 when Việt Nam hosts the 36th ASEAN Summit and the 31st South Asian Games.

Under the proposal, the 3km road will be lowered and reinforced by an L-shaped concrete barrier. It will be expanded to six lanes. The main dyke road currently has a width of 8-17 metres, but some sections have only two lanes.

According to the committee, the height gap between the main road and the lower roads was large, with a limited turning circle and visibility which threatened traffic safety and caused congestion.

The upgraded Âu Cơ Road is expected to create a smooth connection between Nội Bài International Airport and the city centre as well as bridges crossing the Hồng River, including Thăng Long, Nhật Tân, Chương Dương, Vĩnh Tuy and Thanh Trì.

The link between Âu Cơ Road and Nghi Tàm along the dyke has already been lowered and the new An Dương-Thanh Niên Overpass opened to traffic on Thursday.

The city’s People’s Committee said that without the backing of the Government Office and relevant ministries, the project would take 28-30 months to complete, meaning it would not be ready in time for the two major regional events.

Construction of the An Dương-Thanh Niên Overpass and lowering of a 2.5km stretch of Nghi Tàm began last September with a total cost of VNĐ312 billion (US$13.4 million). The overpass is 271m in length and 10m in width. — VNS