The main road has been opened.

In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, construction on the Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road (connecting Kim Thanh International Road Border Gate No. II with Ban Vuoc Border Gate) was bustling with activity. The completion of the road not only brought joy to the people of Bat Xat, Trinh Tuong, and A Mu Sung communes but also opened up an important goods transportation route for the Lao Cai border economic corridor.

Great joy for the people.

For Ms. Phan Thi Thu Trang, a teacher working in Trinh Tuong commune, her journey of "spreading knowledge" in the highlands over the years has been intertwined with arduous journeys along the old Provincial Road 156. Now, traveling on the new road not only shortens the distance from Lao Cai ward to Trinh Tuong commune by nearly 10 km but also ensures safer and more convenient travel.

The road has been opened to traffic, making travel safer and more convenient for the people.

Ms. Trang shared: "Previously, the old road from Lao Cai to Ban Vuoc - Ngoi Phat was very narrow and posed many dangers. Especially with the unique terrain of a cliff on one side and a deep ravine on the other, this road became a nightmare for teachers and local people during the rainy season. The completion of the Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road has made travel much easier and safer for the people."

Sharing the same joy as Ms. Trang, Mr. Tan A Ton, residing in Trinh Tuong commune, Lao Cai province, is very happy that the Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road has opened to traffic. Mr. Ton said: "The new road, with its wide and integrated infrastructure, makes travel more convenient and safer for us residents. Since the road was widened and paved smoothly, transporting goods by truck has become much easier for me."

Not only local residents, but also drivers from other provinces and cities across the country were surprised by the Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road. Mr. Dong Huu Hung, a driver from Hai Phong city, said: "Every week I transport goods from Hai Phong to Lao Cai and travel along Provincial Road 156 to Bat Xat, Trinh Tuong communes and up to Y Ty to deliver goods. Before, when the road wasn't finished, travel was very difficult, but now, with the new road completed, travel is convenient and much safer, saving on fuel costs."

The road has transformed the appearance of the border region.

To bring complete joy to the people on the eve of the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse), hundreds of officials, engineers, and workers have tirelessly stayed at the construction site, working through the night many times without rest.

The road has been modernized and upgraded.

Mr. Pham Hoang Long (Linh Nam Construction Co., Ltd.) - Site Manager for the section passing through Bat Xat commune, said: "Our unit is responsible for the construction of package number 7, with a length of over 2km. To date, the main items have been completed. Only about 200 meters of road surface remain unfinished due to waiting for connection with the infrastructure of Bat Xat Regional General Hospital. Currently, the obstacles have been resolved, we have just been handed over the land and are actively working to complete the remaining road surface. The unit's goal is to complete the base layer before the Lunar New Year holiday of 2026 to ensure convenient travel for the local people."

The project to upgrade Provincial Road 156, the Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat section, is 8 km long and is part of Component Project 1: Construction of a border bridge across the Red River. The Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road and its connecting infrastructure, with the Department of Construction as the investor, is not simply a public transportation project but also holds strategic significance for the development of border trade in Lao Cai province.

The remaining section of the road, approximately 200 meters long, is being completed urgently.

To date, key components such as the roadbed, surface, and drainage system along the entire 8km route have been largely completed. Currently, contractors are focusing on upgrading and implementing the final traffic safety items such as painting road markings, installing traffic signs, and guardrails.

Mr. Luu Thai Toan, Deputy Head of the ODA Project Management Department, Investment and Construction Project Management Board of Lao Cai province, said: "The opening of the Kim Thanh – Ngoi Phat road project at this time has practical significance, contributing to serving the Bat Xat - Lao Cai Border Trade Promotion Fair in 2026. This is a major economic event, attracting thousands of businesses and tourists. In addition, in the long term, the road will meet the needs of trade and commerce for the people in the region. In particular, this is the main transport axis from Kim Thanh Border Gate to Ban Vuoc Border Gate connecting to Pa Sa Border Gate (China), one of the key projects of the province to implement the policy and plan for developing border gate economy, and one of the four 'pillars' of the socio-economic development strategy of Lao Cai province for the period 2025-2030 and beyond."

Workers are putting the finishing touches on painting, marking roads, and installing milestones...

The Kim Thanh - Ngoi Phat road has taken on a new look today. Upon completion, the road will run along the Red River, stretching through villages and fields in the border region from Lao Cai to Bat Xat, Trinh Tuong… It will not only connect land but also connect the faith, joy, and aspirations of the Lao Cai border region in a new era of development.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/duong-lon-da-mo-post892141.html