This afternoon (September 29), Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung announced to open Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway. Along with the component enhancing road surface of National Road 1 has been exploited, the travel time of 170 km from Hanoi to Lang Son is shorten to only 2 hours.
Bang Giang - Lang Son Expressway project is technical opened this afternoon (photo: Doan Bac)
Commenced in July 2015, Bac Giang - Lang Son BOT Project has a total length of nearly 170km, implemented by Bac Giang - Lang Son BOT Joint Stock Company. The project consists of two components: Construction of 64km of expressways from Km45 + 100 to Km108 + 500 and enhancing road surface of 105km of NR1 from Km1 + 800 to Km106 + 500. Total investment of the whole project is over VND 12,000 billion.
In particular, 64km of expressway section from Bac Giang to Lang Son will be newly built, starting at Km45 + 100 (intersecting with National Road 1 at Mai Sao commune, Chi Lang district, Lang Son province) and ending at Km108 + 500, connects to the end of National Road 1 section Hanoi - Bac Giang. The road has 25m wide, including 4 lanes and 2 emergency stopping lanes, the design speed is 100 km/h.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said: Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway is a large-scale transportation project, a major and arterial traffic route connecting important economy corridors, one of the biggest trading roads of Vietnam and China.
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung issues order to open Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway
The expressway is under the Master-plan of developing Vietnam's expressway network, under Eastern North-South Expressway Project, connecting the key economic centers, major border gates and important traffic hubs which has high speed and large transport demand of the country.
“The expressway ensures national defense and security not only for the two provinces Bac Giang and Lang Son but also for localities in the North. When put into operation, this route will shorten travel time, reduce congestion on NR 1; promote goods tradeing; developing tourism, services ... of localities and the whole region”, - Deputy Prime Minister said.
According to the Government leader, the process of implementing the investment of Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway were faced many difficulties, greatly affecting the completion progress, but thanks to the great efforts of the two provinces Lang Son and Bac Giang, the responsible and professional of the investor, the involvement of contractors and banks and the effective guidance of the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Construction and other related ministries and departments, after less than 2 years of restarting, the project has basically been completed and open for vehicles.
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and the leader of Ministry of Transport, Lang Son Province, Bac Giang, the investor of the project implement the ribbon cutting ceremony of Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway
In order to continue completing the remaining stages, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung require the investor urgently complete the auxiliary works on the route such as gathering roads, barrier systems, signs, etc.
“Completing the project not only ensures the progress and quality, but also ensures the aesthetics, so the expressway is more effectively operated and make our northeastern mountainous region more beautiful” - Deputy Prime Minister stressed and issued an order to open Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway.
In July 2015, the “gambling boss” Nguyen Van Duong headed UDIC Investment Joint Stock Company as a consortium of investors and project enterprises. However, due to weak investor capacity, unable to arrange credit capital, the project was at a standstill. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) constantly warns investors for breaching BOT contracts.
Expressway open to traffic this afternoon (September 29)
In May 2017, Ministry of Transport decided to “kill” the old investor and “change blood” for the project by calling some of the investors at Deo Ca tunnel project to buy shares of UDIC Investment Joint Stock Company, participating in the project, ensuring that the project has new investor with financial capacity as well as compliance with legal regulations and procedures.
On June 1, 2017, the project was officially restarted, marked by the event VietinBank signed a contract to sponsor credit capital for the project to with a value of more than VND10,000 billion. In May 2018, following the Prime Minister's direction, the Ministry of Transport transferred the role of the competent State agency at the project to the People's Committee of Lang Son Province.
Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway runs parallel to the existing National Road 1
More than 1 year ago (on March 2018), National Road 1 component was completed and put into operation, contributing to improve transportation capacity, minimize traffic accidents, ensure traffic safety on National Roand 1 section through Bac Giang and Lang Son province.
So far, the expressway component has been completed, along with the National Road 1 component has been exploited, the travel time from Hanoi to Lang Son is shortened to only 2 hours, compared to 3 hours before. The modern roads serve the people and being the motivation to promote socio-economic development not only for Lang Son, Bac Giang.
Chau Nhu Quynh
https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/thong-xe-ky-thuat-cao-toc-12000-ty-dong-tu-ha-noi-di-lang-son-chi-con-2-tieng-20190929153557676.htm
