Spring road is open...

In the West of Vinh Linh, there is currently a road under construction connecting the East branch of Ho Chi Minh Road with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh Road. This is a road for rescue, disaster relief and socio -economic development support in remote areas.

Construction of KM 25+30 DT 751 bridge - Photo: PS

Arriving at Ben Quan crossroads, where it meets the Ho Chi Minh road, the Eastern branch, we continued to cross the DT 571 road for more than 30 km, with steep passes, endless streams and streams to reach Vinh O, the most remote and difficult commune of Vinh Linh district. Construction was carried out in unfavorable weather conditions, the terrain was complicated by steep passes, dangerous streams and streams..., but overcoming all that, the units still stuck to the route day and night to level the ground, dig, build roadbeds, build bridges, culverts, reinforce slopes, retaining walls... with the determination to bring the project to the finish line on schedule, so that the road will soon connect with spring.

The late afternoon in the Western mountains and forests is the change of seasons, the wind and dust are thick and misty, the weather is cold but sweat still flows down the sunburned faces; sweat soaks the muddy protective clothing... The trucks loaded with soil, rocks, sand, gravel, cement, and steel sway and twist; the excavators and bulldozers continuously roar on the hillsides along with the bridge and road workers rushing on the construction site, creating a very lively atmosphere.

The project connecting the Ho Chi Minh road, East branch, with the Ho Chi Minh road, West branch, phase 1, starts at Vinh O commune, Vinh Linh district, ends at the Ho Chi Minh road, West branch, at Km 175, Cha Ly village, Huong Lap commune, Huong Hoa district, and connects with the National Defense Economic Road, with a length of 12.98 km, starting at the Ho Chi Minh road, West branch, and ending at Ban Cuoi, which has been completed. Thus, the total length of the entire route is nearly 30 km. The route follows the Rao Thanh river, the upper reaches of the Ben Hai river, passes through many hills and streams, especially through the special-use forest area of the Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve.

The project is designed as a grade IV mountainous road, according to Vietnam standard 4054-2005. The entire route has 100 culverts of various types and 7 permanent prestressed concrete bridges, the longest bridge is 5 spans, the shortest is 2 spans. This is a particularly important route not only for the Western Vinh Linh region, but will be an axis road system connecting East-West; South-North and connecting with Laos through Ta Rung border gate.

That is why, on December 24, 2020, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 2212/QD-TTg on supplementing capital from the central budget reserve for Quang Tri province to implement the project to build a road connecting the East branch of Ho Chi Minh road with the West branch of Ho Chi Minh road.

Director of the Department of Transport of Quang Tri province Tran Huu Hung said: “When the route is completed, it will create a horizontal traffic network connecting the vertical axes from National Highway 1 - Ho Chi Minh Road East branch - Ho Chi Minh Road West branch. This is a vital traffic route connecting from East to West of Quang Tri province, which is important for socio-economic development, ensuring national security and defense not only of Quang Tri, but also of the North Central region, contributing to promoting economic exchange and development between the two countries Vietnam - Laos. Shortening the journey from Laos to Cua Tung beach tourist area, Vinh Moc tunnel and some other tourist destinations in the region, creating conditions for Quang Tri to exploit and develop tourism”.

Road leveling - Photo: PS

Mr. Tran Van Tang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh O Commune, Vinh Linh District, enthusiastically said: "This is the path to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, the path to bring the light of culture and science and technology to the Van Kieu people". It will certainly be like that, because for generations, nearly 1,500 Van Kieu people living scattered in 9 villages of Vinh O Commune, upstream of Ben Hai River, have only traveled on one road, Provincial Road 571, with its rugged hills, steep passes and dangerous streams.

Apart from this single road, Vinh O has not yet formed an inter-village transportation network, so traveling is very difficult. There were years when floods isolated the area, and the Government had to mobilize helicopters to drop relief goods to people in the isolated floodwater areas.

Therefore, investment in the construction of the road is extremely necessary to create a vital traffic axis connecting the East and the West of Quang Tri province, creating conditions to achieve the goal of hunger eradication and poverty reduction for people in Vinh Linh and Huong Hoa districts, promoting socio-economic development to ensure national defense and security, gradually completing the province's traffic system according to the plan, especially serving well the rescue work when storms and floods occur as well as forest management and forest fire prevention and control.

In order to successfully and on schedule implement the project of connecting the Ho Chi Minh Road East Branch with the Ho Chi Minh Road West Branch, the Department of Transport of Quang Tri province has been urgently implementing all measures, concentrating human and material resources and urging contractors to concentrate vehicles and machinery to speed up the progress, determined to open the route in August 2024, making achievements to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Vinh Linh Special Zone.

It can be said that this is a road that “the Party’s will meets the people’s will”, so the land acquisition and site clearance process is smooth and convenient. There is only one and the biggest obstacle, which is that 1.5 km of the route must pass through the “strictly protected” area of Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve. However, due to the characteristics of the high mountain terrain, deep ravines and the “strictly” protected area spread over a large area, avoiding the strictly protected area is impossible.

To overcome this situation, the Department of Transport of Quang Tri province, on the one hand, is speeding up the construction progress, on the other hand, it continues to study and consider adjusting the route to the poor forest area, first of all, locally adjusting the strictly protected zone to the ecological restoration zone to implement the project, and at the same time, studying the option of building a tunnel through this area when finding investment capital.

Village 5, Vinh O commune, is located on the Rao Thanh river, where the new road will pass through - Photo: PS

Time is running out, while the workload is still huge, the project is in disarray, the pressure of progress is still pressing, but the construction must be carried out in harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain. Therefore, to ensure quality and race against time, the investor and the construction units have launched a short-term competition campaign to complete a number of necessary construction items and subdivisions in time to welcome the new year of Giap Thin.

Although there are still many hardships and difficulties due to having to cope with severe natural disasters, with the heroic tradition of paving the way for victory of the Transport industry, along with its experience and mettle, the Quang Tri Transport industry has fully prepared to enter the new year 2024 - the 4th year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress along with the strategic planning of the Government and the industry.

This is the motivation and belief for the Quang Tri transport sector to successfully implement the set goals, focusing on the East-West Ho Chi Minh road connecting route.

Phan Sau

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/duong-xuan-dang-mo/183345.htm