Tu Hien Bridge spans the estuary on Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon. Photo: Nguyen Phong

Coastal urban development

With its long coastline and the vast Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system, the city's planning process has paid special attention to natural elements such as the sea and lagoons. Furthermore, the centrally-governed city is defined according to a "cluster of cities, multiple centers" model. To concretize this orientation, the city aims to develop the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon area into a nationally and internationally significant ecotourism region, a driving force for the development of the Central Vietnam marine economic cluster, linked to the development of the Hue - Da Nang area into a strong national marine economic center.

The Prime Minister also approved the General Urban Planning Project for Thua Thien Hue (now Hue City) until 2045, with a vision to 2065, in Decision No. 108/QD-TTg, dated January 26, 2024 (General Planning 108), which identified one of the characteristics of the planning project as: “A growth pole of the Central region's dynamic economic and tourism sector; a major national center for science and technology, specialized healthcare, multi-disciplinary and multi-field high-quality education and training; an international tourism center; a national center for industrial development and seaports…”.

To prosper from the sea, the city is focusing on completing planning, attracting investment, and investing in infrastructure development in accordance with the General Planning 108. The city is accelerating the completion of planning, providing a basis for attracting investment and developing socio-economic activities in the area. The People's Committee of Hue City has issued a related plan assigning localities and units to review sub-area plans (QHPK) and detailed plans (QHCT) to ensure they conform to General Planning 108, and to prepare sub-area plans for the construction of functional zones to facilitate investment attraction.

According to the Department of Construction, the coverage rate of master plans for central urban areas such as Thuan Hoa and Phu Xuan districts, and Huong Thuy and Huong Tra towns has reached 100%, with a total of 45 approved master plans covering a total area of ​​over 48,000 hectares. In addition, 100% of the area covered by master plans has been achieved for wards within Phong Dien town, with 6 plans covering a total area of ​​approximately 19,700 hectares. Furthermore, the revised master plan for the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1657/QD-TTg dated December 26, 2024. This is an important basis for the city to develop the Chan May area into a southern gateway city, connecting with Da Nang City and the central coastal provinces. It is a smart, modern city, a coastal economic zone connected to the Chan May deep-water seaport, a regional logistics center, and industrial parks in the area.

Interregional connectivity

To become a centrally-governed city, the government has prioritized accelerating the implementation of economic and technical infrastructure development projects, especially transportation infrastructure with connectivity and spillover effects. With the attention of the central government and various ministries and agencies, the city has implemented numerous projects, plans, and strategies to gradually complete its internal and external transportation systems, creating a comprehensive network. The transportation infrastructure system has undergone fundamental changes in recent years, effectively meeting the needs of citizens and businesses.

Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of Construction, affirmed that the highlight in infrastructure development in recent times has been accelerating the completion of key projects such as National Highway 49A, National Highway 49B; expanding the passenger terminal at Phu Bai International Airport; the berths at Chan May Port, and the breakwater at Chan May Port. In the coming time, the city will continue to prioritize investment resources in connecting routes between the central urban area and satellite cities to create momentum and a ripple effect for socio-economic development, such as the Phu My - Thuan An road, the Cho Mai - Tan My road, the road west of Tam Giang Lagoon - Cau Hai (Phu My - Phu Da section); the coastal road and bridge project at Thuan An estuary, Nguyen Hoang road, the extended To Huu road to Phu Bai Airport, and Ring Road 3.

In particular, the North-South Expressway section from La Son to Tuy Loan (approximately 66km long) and the North-South Expressway section from Cam Lo to La Son (approximately 98km long), Phase 1, have been completed and put into operation. These projects have opened up additional external transportation gateways for the city, with numerous on/off ramps and expressway connections. These are important transportation hubs, not only facilitating the flow of goods and sharing traffic volume with National Highway 1, contributing to the development of industrial zones, but also opening up opportunities for the development of bustling urban and commercial areas in the future. Recently, the city, in coordination with the Ministry of Construction, commenced the expansion project of the La Son - Hoa Lien Expressway, expected to be completed this year, and the upcoming expansion of the Cam Lo - La Son Expressway will contribute to promoting inter-regional socio-economic development.

According to the Department of Construction, a system of key projects has been gradually taking shape in the city, creating a framework for urban development, population redistribution, land development, and especially providing a strong foundation and impetus for the formation of a chain of coastal cities in the future, contributing significantly to the development of the marine economy. With the goal of developing the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon area and the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone into one of the country's leading marine economic centers, the city will focus on implementing comprehensive solutions to effectively mobilize and utilize resources from all economic sectors. Emphasis will be placed on attracting investment and promoting large-scale projects to generate added value for the budget.

In addition, the city is promoting the development of functional areas in the region, with a focus on investing in the development of the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone - an important driving force of the region, a logistics and international trade center connected to the Chan May deep-water port, a high-end tourism and resort center in a sustainable and efficient manner, and a nucleus for promoting industrial parks and clusters in the region.

Ha Nguyen

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/xay-dung-giao-thong/ket-noi-lien-vung-phat-trien-do-thi-bien-154773.html