2,030 billion VND project to build a road connecting 3 Northwestern provinces with the highway

Overview of inter-regional road project

The road project connecting the three provinces of Son La, Lai Chau , Lao Cai with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway has been announced in detail in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report. The project is invested by the Lao Cai Province Construction Investment Project Management Board No. 1, with a total route length of about 69 km and a total estimated investment of 2,030 billion VND.

The main objective of the project is to create a vital traffic axis, connecting the localities of Muong La (Son La), Than Uyen, Tan Uyen (Lai Chau), and Mu Cang Chai, Van Chan, Van Yen ( Yen Bai ) with the IC15 intersection of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway. Once completed, the route is expected to promote the development of community tourism, serve national security and defense and rescue work in the area.

Image of a section of Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway under operation. — Current Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway. (Photo: Lao Cai Newspaper).

Technical specifications and detailed planning

The route is designed according to the standards of grade IV mountainous roads, allowing a design speed of 40 km/h. The roadbed width is 7.5 m, of which the road surface width is 5.5 m.

Specific route

The project starts at the intersection with National Highway 32 (Km299) in Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province and ends at the intersection with Gia Hoi - Dong An road (Km15+375) in Van Yen district, Yen Bai province. The route is divided into 4 main sections:

Section 1 (Km0 - Km15+700): Starting from National Highway 32, the route goes northeast along the stream, then climbs to the top of the watershed and follows the mountainside.
Section 2 (Km15+700 - Km26+660): The route crosses Lung Cung pass at an altitude of 2,000 m, goes through Ta Cu Y valley and gradually descends to the Nam Co stream area.
Section 3 (Km26+660 - Km41+700): Crossing Nam Co stream by reinforced concrete bridge, the route goes horizontally and climbs slightly to Lang Giang village area.
Section 4 (Km41+700 - Km68+950): The route continues to gradually decrease in elevation, crosses Ngoi Hut stream and connects to Gia Hoi - Dong An road at the end point.

Along the entire route, two main bridges will be built across Nam Co stream and Ngoi Hut stream, along with four level intersections to connect with existing roads.

The map shows the proposed route of the road project connecting 3 Northwestern provinces. — Project route. (Photo taken from EIA document).

Funding and implementation progress

The total investment of VND 2,030 billion of the project is structured from two main sources:

Central budget capital: 1,485 billion VND.
Local budget capital and other legal sources: 545 billion VND.

The project is expected to be implemented within 6 years from the date of funding allocation. The estimated construction time for the entire route is 72 months.

Project Impact

Socio-economic impacts

The formation of the new route will significantly shorten travel time, enhancing connectivity between the northern mountainous provinces and the Red River Delta. This will not only facilitate trade but also be a lever for the tourism industry, especially eco-tourism and community-based tourism in localities such as Mu Cang Chai.

Environmental impact

According to the report, the project will use about 417.22 hectares of land, of which 187.8 hectares are forested land, accounting for 45% of the total area. Notably, part of this area belongs to the upstream protection forest. Construction through this area requires strict technical and environmental solutions to minimize negative impacts on the ecosystem, limit erosion and protect water resources.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/du-an-2030-ty-dong-lam-duong-noi-3-tinh-tay-bac-voi-cao-toc-398025.html