Hidden dangers from degraded suspension bridges in Nghe An

Fearful of crossing the 40-year-old suspension bridge

After nearly 40 years of use, the Giang River suspension bridge connecting Phong Thinh and Thanh Lien communes (Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An ) has now seriously degraded. The bridge was designed to handle 10-ton trucks, but now only allows trucks under 5 tons to pass. This is an important residential bridge serving the travel of people from 10 communes in Cat Ngan area to the center of Thanh Chuong district.

Through observation, the anchors of the Giang River suspension bridge are peeling, the cable car is old, the railing system has poor load-bearing capacity, many locations are rusted, and the concrete is cracked. Because the bridge is too weak, the authorities have placed many warning signs at both ends of the bridge, and erected fences to limit large trucks from crossing the bridge.

Giang River suspension bridge (Thanh Chuong, Nghe An). Photo: Ho Van Ngoi

It is known that the Giang River suspension bridge was put into use in 1987, with a length of 120m. This bridge is located on Provincial Road 533 managed by the Nghe An Department of Transport. By 2017, this provincial road was upgraded to National Highway 46C, so the road and bridge were transferred to the Ministry of Transport for management.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phong Thinh Commune (Thanh Chuong), a locality located next to the Giang River suspension bridge, is worried: As a vital bridge connecting 10 communes in the sandbank area with the district center, the demand for traffic and goods transportation of people across this suspension bridge is increasing. However, in reality, the bridge is very weak, large trucks cannot pass through the bridge, which has hindered the socio -economic development of the localities.

As the almost sole route connecting the communes in the upper Thanh Chuong district, traffic jams occur not only on holidays and Tet but also during normal days during rush hour. On the occasion of the recent Giap Thin Lunar New Year, the authorities of Thanh Chuong district and the two communes of Thanh Lien and Phong Thinh had to arrange forces to regulate traffic, but traffic was still congested. In addition, although signs were posted limiting the load to 5 tons, there were still cases of heavy vehicles crossing the bridge, posing a potential risk of unpredictable incidents...

After 40 years of use, the Giang River suspension bridge has seriously degraded. Photo: Ho Van Ngoi

According to many locals, the degraded Giang River Bridge has caused many unfortunate traffic accidents. The most serious was the accident between a car and a motorbike on this bridge that occurred on October 4, 2020, killing 5 people.

In response to the recommendations of voters and local authorities, on October 6, 2023, the Ministry of Transport issued a decision assigning the Vietnam Road Administration to organize the preparation of a report proposing the investment policy for the Giang River Bridge construction project, with the implementation period from 2023 to 2025. The Vietnam Road Administration then submitted to the Ministry of Transport a decision on the investment policy for the project to build a new bridge to replace the Giang River suspension bridge with an estimated investment of about 68 billion VND. However, more than a year has passed, the project is still "on paper".

“We really hope that the Giang River suspension bridge will be rebuilt soon to ensure safety for traffic. This is also the wish of the people in every meeting with voters,” Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People’s Committee Nguyen Huu Hien hoped.

Not only difficult about funding?

Located on Highway 7, about 200km from Vinh City, Xop Nhi suspension bridge in Huu Lap commune, Ky Son border district (Nghe An) was put into use in 1984, but is now seriously damaged and degraded. At the scene, it was found that the railing was damaged in some places; the main cable steel, bridge pillars, and bridge beams were rusted; the main cable system and bridge bearings were dry of grease... Meanwhile, every day, the bridge is struggling to "carry" a large amount of goods and people passing by insecurely.

Not far away, Xieng Thu suspension bridge across Nam Mo river (in Chieu Luu commune, Ky Son district) also suffered the same fate. This is the main route connecting the villages on the other side of Nam Mo river in Chieu Luu commune and the entire Bao Thang commune with the district center. However, here, the project to build a new rigid bridge has begun construction. Soon, the people here will no longer have to live in fear of crossing the dilapidated suspension bridge.

Nghe An currently has up to 70 suspension bridges, many of which are degraded and need to be replaced or regularly maintained. Photo: Ho Van Ngoi

According to statistics from the Nghe An Department of Transport, the province currently has 70 suspension bridges. Of which, the Department of Transport and the Road Management Department 2 (Vietnam Road Administration) manage two suspension bridges; the remaining 68 bridges are managed by districts. Many of these suspension bridges have been degraded due to long-term use and the increasing number of vehicles on the road, failing to meet the increasing needs of people and vehicles.

Regarding the direction of handling the current state of suspension bridges in the province, Mr. Nguyen Trong Quang - Head of the Department of Traffic Construction Quality Management, Nghe An Department of Transport informed: The most difficult thing, besides the financial issue, is that the districts also face technical difficulties in carrying out maintenance and repair. The Department is drafting a document requesting localities to inspect and review the current state of suspension bridges, promptly detect damage for repair.

For damages, it is recommended that the investor hire a professional consulting unit to inspect, test, and propose appropriate repair and handling solutions to ensure traffic safety and the longevity of the project.

HO VAN NGOI

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/an-hoa-tu-nhung-cay-cau-treo-xuong-cap-o-nghe-an-post759671.html