Belt routes extend development pace for Hanoi

Beltway projects are expected to reduce the load on Hanoi's inner city, enhance connectivity, create momentum and be a lever for economic development.

Currently, many key transport projects in Hanoi are being implemented by the city, including the belt roads which act as the main connecting axes, helping vehicles to circulate conveniently, expanding the development space for Hanoi, and promoting regional connectivity.

Hanoi is currently planning 7 belt roads, including 5 main belt roads (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and 2 supporting belt roads (2.5 and 3.5).

These plans aim to gradually close the planned belt roads, creating an important premise for the even, comprehensive and sustainable development of the capital as well as enhancing connectivity and diffusion between localities in the Hanoi Capital Region.

Accordingly, with the Ring Road 1 route being more than 7 km long through the streets of Tran Khat Chan - Dai Co Viet - Xa Dan - Hoang Cau - Voi Phuc; the Hoang Cau - Voi Phuc section (2.5 km) is currently unfinished.

*Beltway 2 is behind schedule due to land clearance problems. Photo: Pham Dong*

The Hoang Cau - Voi Phuc section has its starting point at the intersection with Cat Linh - La Thanh - Yen Lang road at Hoang Cau (Dong Da district), and its end point at Voi Phuc traffic intersection (Ba Dinh district).

The total investment of the project is nearly 7,800 billion VND, approved since December 2017, expected to be completed in 2020, but so far it has not been completed.

At the inspection on April 4, Hanoi Party Secretary Dinh Tien Dung requested to have the best policy to gain people's consensus, complete site clearance for Ring Road 1 in 2023, and open the route in 2024.

Hanoi's Beltway 2 is planned to be more than 43 km long, running through Vinh Tuy - Minh Khai - Nga Tu Vong - Nga Tu So - Lang - Cau Giay - Vo Chi Cong - Truong Sa - Nguyen Van Linh - Vinh Tuy, forming a closed belt.

Currently, 32 km of Ring Road 2 has been completed, including three large bridges: Nhat Tan, Vinh Tuy, and Dong Tru.

Ring Road 2 basically completed — *32 km of Ring Road 2 has been completed. Photo: Huu Chanh*

While the Ring Road 3 has been closed, it is currently overloaded. Therefore, Ring Road 2.5 is a supplementary route, reducing the load between Ring Roads 2 and 3, passing through Tay Ho Tay Urban Area - Nguyen Van Huyen - Nguyen Phong Sac - Tran Thai Tong - Duong Dinh Nghe - Trung Kinh - Hoang Dao Thuy - Vu Trong Phung - Dam Hong - Khuong Dinh - Dinh Cong - Kim Dong - Tan Mai - Den Lu - Linh Nam.

The project has 13 sections, Hanoi has completed 4 sections, the remaining 9 sections are in the investment phase and waiting for investment. Ring Road 3.5 is a supplementary route located between Ring Road 3 and 4, starting from the section connecting to Phap Van Expressway (Thanh Tri District) - Phuc La (Ha Dong), passing through the districts: Hoai Duc, Nam Tu Liem, Bac Tu Liem - National Highway 32 - Thuong Cat Bridge. This project has a total construction investment of more than 1,000 billion VND, started in October 2017 with a length of 4.9 km, a design speed of 80 km/h, a cross-section of 60 m, divided into two phases. However, after nearly 6 years of implementation, the project is still being constructed slowly and at a standstill due to difficulties and obstacles in site clearance.

*Construction of Ring Road 3.5. Photo: Pham Dong*

The Ring Road 4 project - Hanoi Capital Region is more than 112 km long, of which the section through Hanoi is more than 58 km long, through Hung Yen is more than 19 km, through Bac Ninh is more than 35 km. The total investment is over 85,813 billion VND, of which the central budget supports more than 28,173 billion VND; the local budget participates in more than 28,193 billion VND, BOT capital is more than 29,447 billion VND. The project is expected to start construction before June 30, complete in 2026, and put into operation in 2027. Ring Road 5 has a total length of 331.5 km, passing through the borders of 8 provinces and cities: Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Ha Nam, Thai Binh , Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc. Of which, the section through the capital is 48 km long. According to the plan, Ring Roads 3, 5 and 4 are expected to create new momentum for socio-economic development for the entire Capital region in general. In particular, the east of Hanoi will have a strong impetus to break through when the ability to connect with other areas is increasingly diverse, both to the inner city center and to neighboring provinces and cities.