The design for Cát Lái Bridge, which will link HCM City's District 2 with Đồng Nai Province’s Nhơn Trạch District. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

HCM CITY — New bridges linking HCM City and Đồng Nai Province are expected to enhance transport connections in the southeastern region, boosting economic development.

The Ministry of Transport has approved the construction of a new bridge to run parallel to the existing Long Thành Bridge on HCM City - Long Thành - Dầu Giây Expressway. The expressway is expected to be widened to 6-8 lanes from its current four lanes.

The expansion of the expressway and a new Long Thành Bridge is expected to ease congestion when the Long Thành International Airport is put into use in the near future. 

Eighty per cent of the work has been completed on the Phước Khánh Bridge Cable-Stayed Bridge over Lòng Tàu River, connecting HCM City’s Cần Giờ and Đồng Nai Province’s Nhơn Trạch District.

The bridge is part of the Bến Lức - Long Thành Expressway project between Long An and Đồng Nai provinces through HCM City.

Begun in 2014, the expressway was originally planned to be finished in 2018, but it lagged behind schedule due to problems in land clearance compensation. It is expected to be finished in 2024.

It will shorten the travel distance between HCM City and localities in the southeastern and southwestern regions.

The Cửu Long Corporation for Investment Development and Project Management of Infrastructure has announced that it will begin construction of Nhơn Trạch Bridge next year.

The new bridge spanning Đồng Nai River will link HCM City's District 9 with Đồng Nai Province’s Nhơn Trạch District.

Worth VNĐ2.2 trillion (US$95.4 million), it is part of Ring Road No 3 project, which will be completed in 2024.

It will help shorten travel time from HCM City to Đồng Nai and Bình Dương provinces, and help reduce congestion in urban areas.

For many years, local residents have wanted a new Cat Lái Bridge to replace Cát Lái Ferry because the ferry is badly overloaded.

Cát Lái Bridge will cross Đồng Nai River and link HCM City's District 2 with Đồng Nai Province’s Nhơn Trạch District. It is expected to ease crowding on Cát Lái Ferry, which is a key link from HCM City to Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa- Vũng Tàu provinces.

Last year, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc agreed to select Đồng Nai Province as the leader in the Cát Lái Bridge project.

The project, with a total investment of VNĐ7.2 trillion ($312 million), is divided into three components. Đồng Nai will be responsible for the main bridge and approach road in Nhơn Trạch District, while HCM City will build the approach road in District 2.

Construction on the bridge is slated to start by the end of this year. — VNS