Two investment options for Can Tho 2 bridge

The Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project across the Hau River not only connects Vinh Long province and Can Tho city, but is also the final piece on the North-South expressway in the East.

Diagram of 2 connection options for the Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project and the approach roads at both ends of the bridge.

“Dual” mission

After exactly 2 years of being assigned the task, in the middle of last week, My Thuan Project Management Board submitted Document No. 2109/PMUMT-KHTH requesting the Ministry of Construction to review and appraise the Pre-Feasibility Study Report of the Investment Project to build Can Tho 2 Bridge and the approach roads at both ends of the bridge.

According to the Road Network Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project and the two main access roads are the final piece of the North-South Expressway in the East (CT.01) in the Mekong Delta region, connecting the My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway and the Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway.

The investment in the construction of the new Can Tho 2 Bridge also contributes to completing the regional transportation network, connecting economic centers, new urban areas and traffic hubs (airports, river ports, seaports...) in the provinces and cities of Vinh Long, Can Tho and Ca Mau.

In addition, Can Tho 2 Bridge is likely to take on a “dual” role, being both a road bridge on the North-South Expressway in the East and an important railway bridge on the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway line.

These are the reasons why it is urgent to carry out early research on investment in the construction of Can Tho 2 Bridge, in order to synchronize and open the North-South expressway in the East, the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong - My Thuan - Can Tho - Ca Mau section (My Thuan - Can Tho route was opened to traffic at the end of 2023 and Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway is under construction, expected to open to traffic at the end of 2025).

According to the research results of the Consulting Joint Venture of Transport Design Consulting Corporation (Tedi) and Southern Transport Design Consulting Joint Stock Company (Tedis), the Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project and the approach roads at both ends of the bridge have the starting point connecting with Cha Va intersection, which is the end point of the My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway Project on the Vinh Long side (about Km129+177 - CT01); the end point connecting with IC2 intersection (intersection with the connecting road of National Highway 91 - Nam Song Hau) and is also the starting point of the Can Tho - Hau Giang - Ca Mau Expressway Project (about Km146+377 - CT01).

The total length of the Project study is about 17.2 km, of which the approach road and bridge on the Vinh Long side is 11.9 km long (located in Binh Minh, Cai Von and Dong Thanh wards); the main bridge is about 1.1 km long; the approach road and overpass on the Can Tho side is 4.2 km long (located in Hung Phu ward).

“The most important highlight of the project is the Can Tho 2 bridge crossing the main channel of the Hau River. The bridge has a scale of 6 lanes, the main span is expected to be 450 m long, and has a cable-stayed bridge structure,” said Mr. Diep Bao Tuan, Deputy Director of the My Thuan Project Management Board.

Two investment options

In the pre-feasibility study step of the Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project and the approach roads at both ends of the bridge, the Tedi - Tedis Consulting Joint Venture studied the plan to build the main bridge of the independent Tho Bridge and the plan to build the main Can Tho Bridge combining the road bridge and the railway bridge.

For option I - building a road bridge and railway running independently, the consulting unit proposed that after passing the Cha Va intersection, the route will turn left to the Can Tho 2 bridge to cross the Hau river (Can Tho 2 bridge is located downstream, about 4.5 km from the existing Can Tho bridge). The bridge runs parallel to the left side, about 280 m from the planned Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway line on Highway 1A.

After crossing the Hau River into Hung Phu Ward, Can Tho City, the route continues to follow the planned centerline parallel to the elevated 3A axis roads to cross the Hung Phu industrial planning area and the Nam Can Tho urban area. The end point of the route will connect to the IC2 intersection, the starting point of the Can Tho - Hau Giang - Ca Mau Expressway Project.

With option II - road bridge combined with railway, the route of the approach bridge on Vinh Long side is similar to option I, but the road bridge will coincide with the planned Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho railway (road on the 2nd floor, railway on the 1st floor).

After crossing the Hau River into Hung Phu ward (Can Tho city), the route follows the planned axis of the elevated 1A highway to pass through the Hung Phu industrial planning area and the Nam Can Tho urban area.

It is estimated that the total cost of building the independent expressway and railway bridge project is 33,989 billion VND (of which the railway bridge alone needs 9,724 billion VND), larger than the combined road bridge and railway project of 6,339 billion VND.

“If approved by competent authorities, the Can Tho 2 Bridge Construction Investment Project will use state budget capital with an expected start date of 2026 and basic completion of the project in 2030,” a representative of the My Thuan Project Management Board proposed.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/hai-phuong-an-dau-tu-cau-can-tho-2-d341528.html