Owing to Deoca Tunnel which was deleted worries about traffic congestion in the season of disasters due to landslides, damaged passes, and traffic accidents. Photo by Xuan Huy

According to statistics of storm influence number 12, the storm causing serious damage to the transport infrastructure on the Central route. Especially in the center of the storm landing area of Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen province, a series of pass road and railways has been landslided. Many North-South railway routes through Phu Yen were paralyzed. The traffic on Deoca was partly stuck.

However, differ from the traffic congestion like previous disaster seasons, the traffic between Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen is now convenient owing to the Deoca highway tunnel project which was operated stably and efficiently.

Ho Minh Hoang, General Director of Deoca Investment Joint Stock Company said: modern operating tunnel, close monitor to ensure safety and stability in exploitation process.

Nguyen Van Sat (Dong Ha district, Quang Tri), the manager of the car bed number 74B-0006 (Dong Ha-Saigon route) said that: On the morning of November 4^th, at the time of the 12th storm landing, the car carrying nearly 40 people to Phu Yen. I thought the journey would be interrupted, but the traffic was very easy owing to the infrastrucrure of the highway 1 was upgraded and expanded, especially there was no “congestion-prone spots "of Deoca

Mr. Sat said that “Remembering the heavy rain at the end of 2016 caused the route of Deoca to be eroded and traffic jammed for several hours. Or some traffic accidents in early 2017 that caused extended traffic congestion in both Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa province made our feel boring. Now having Deoca road tunnel, the traveling is become comfort, and we don’t worry about missing the journey and losing traffic safety”.

Means of transport traffic smoothly, safely, and ensures the schedule through Deoca road tunnel. Photo by Xuan Huy

Delete traffic suggestion scenes on “congestion-prone spots" of pass road, especially when having storms and disasters. Photo by NLD

Recording at the time of storm No. 12 raging in recent days, on highway 1 route through two provinces of Phu Yen - Khanh Hoa, especially Deoca area completely no traffic congestion, congestion due to traffic incidents in the flooding season. The number of vehicles passing the pass road decreased significantly.

Leaders of the Traffic Police Department (Phu Yen Police Department) said that during the rainy season, the department has strengthened a regular force to watch the Deoca area to ensure traffic and channeling when meeting incidents on the pass. However, more than 2 months of officially putting the Deoca road tunnel into operation cancelling the worry of cutting roads, ensuring traffic safety, minimizing the situation of traffic accidents on the pass.

The director of the Vietnam Road Administration III (Directorate for Roads of Vietnam) Cao Xuan Giao said: In response to typhoon number 12, the delegations of the department directly checked and assessed damage caused by storms on the route. Particularly for Deoca route, damage and congestion are minimized owing to the operation of the road tunnel. Thereby, helping vehicles circulate smoothly, reducing vehicle damage, schedules, and ensuring traffic safety.

After more than 2 months of exploitation, Deoca road tunnel has proved the effectiveness of the project on traffic safety, shortened time, ensured vehicle safety, and developed local socio-economic ... Photo by Xuan Huy

Until November 13^th, the Phu Yen-Khanh Hoa railway route was still divided. If won’t organize road traffic and Deoca tunnel, it is easy leading to failure in traffic operation. Photo by Quoc Nhut

Statistics from Vietnam Railway Corporation, only in the area from Binh Dinh - Khanh Hoa has a dozens of sections with falled poles, flooded, railway was paralyzed at many times. Especially, the area of Hao Son - Dai Lanh (Khanh Hoa) was interrupted for many days causing landslide on Deoca from Km 1226 + 780 to Km 1226 + 825 ...

According to Le Hong Son, deputy director of Nha Trang Railway Transport Branch (Khanh Hoa), Until the morning of November 13^th, more than 90 trains along more than 21,000 passengers interrupted because of the railway stopped traffic. The units mobilized nearly 520 coachs to organize the transport passengers by road through the interrupted areas.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tri - Director of Phu Yen Department of Transport said that owing to the operation of Deoca tunnel, so the road traffic was smoothly. Otherwise, the road of the Deoca area easy to be cut due to flood season as in previous years, this will lead to many consequences such as "failure" of traffic, unable to organize transport leading cut off roads for a lot of vehicles including both railway and road.

Mr. Le Quynh Mai, Permanent Deputy General Director of Deoca Investment Joint Stock Company said that the volume of vehicles on rainy days passing the tunnel reached 5,000-5,100 turns, increased by 300-400 turns compared to normal days, and accounted for about 93-95 percent of total vehicle passing through the Deoca area. According to Mr. Mai, with the plan to set up the toll station of the Deoca road tunnel, the vehicle owner can completely choose to go through the pass or through the tunnel and just pay money when passing the tunnel. However, after the Deoca Tunnel went to official operation (September 2017), the percentage of vehicles passing through the tunnel reached over 90 percent. The rest of the vehicles are banned and restricted through the tunnel as the regulations. That affirms the effectiveness of the project with regard to traffic safety problem, shortening the journey, and vehicle safety, especially cancelling the fear of road dividing in the stormy season.

Xuan Huy-Quoc Nhut