Ninh Binh opens largest traffic route ever

Strategic vision

The Resolution of the 22nd Ninh Binh Provincial Party Congress identified one of the three "breakthroughs" as focusing all resources on developing socio -economic infrastructure, especially a synchronous and modern transportation infrastructure that connects within and between regions. In particular, prioritizing investment in important transportation projects to create momentum in attracting investment is a strategic breakthrough and a crucial factor in promoting socio-economic development and restructuring the economy, making Ninh Binh a relatively developed province in the Red River Delta region.

Ninh Binh opens its largest transportation route ever. — Comrade Pham Quang Ngoc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee inspected the investment project to build the East-West route through Nho Quan district. Photo: Anh Tuan

In implementing the Resolution of the 22nd Provincial Party Congress, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, and the Provincial People's Committee have focused on researching and identifying the advantages of the interchange with the North-South Expressway (Eastern section) at Dong Giao (Tam Diep City) and inter-regional roads, expanding urban space, and creating opportunities and impetus for socio-economic development. At the extraordinary session on May 12, 2021, the 14th Provincial People's Council approved the investment plan for the East-West road, Phase I. This extraordinary session, held after the Provincial People's Council had reviewed its term, demonstrates the province's determination and comprehensive administrative reform.

In a proactive spirit, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Transport to take the lead, in coordination with relevant units, in researching, surveying, evaluating, and developing a plan for the route and scale of the road. The Provincial People's Committee leaders chaired on-site inspections and surveys with departments, agencies, and localities; held meetings and solicited opinions from leading experts and consultants nationwide in the field of transportation.

Based on the implementation results, the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee unanimously agreed to propose the investment in the construction of the East-West road, Phase I, the Tam Diep - Nho Quan section. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee conducted a field survey and approved the investment plan for the project. The project has a total length of 22.95 km; the investment scale for Phase I is 4 lanes; land clearance will be carried out according to the plan for 8 lanes with a width of 70 m; the project passes through Tam Diep city and Nho Quan district with a total investment of over 1,900 billion VND.

The project's starting point connects to National Highway 1 via Dong Giao road in Tay Son ward, Tam Diep city; the end point intersects with National Highway 12 in Van Phong commune, Nho Quan district; the total length is 22.9 km. The road also connects to the Eastern North-South Expressway at the Dong Giao interchange.

This is also the largest-scale transportation project ever invested in the province, approved by the local authorities, with high technical requirements and the largest amount of land clearance. Just 10 months after the initial approval, the project completed all investment procedures and held its groundbreaking ceremony to coincide with the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Ninh Binh's name and the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of Ninh Binh province, shortening the investment procedure completion time by 50% compared to similar projects.

Ninh Binh will open the largest traffic route ever — The project was launched on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Ninh Binh's name and the 30th anniversary of the province's re-establishment. Photo: Truong Giang

After more than two years of implementation, the project has basically formed the road on the ground and is gradually realizing the creation of an East-West economic corridor in the southern part of Ninh Binh province, initially creating a new growth pole for the Nho Quan and Tam Diep areas, creating new opportunities and attracting many investors, promoting economic, industrial, and service development.

Create a breakthrough

Identified as a key project, it must be completed as soon as possible to create momentum and a breakthrough in the province's socio-economic development in the short term and with strategic and long-term vision. When completed, the route will open up space, space and create new momentum to promote the development of the southern region of the province, contributing to reducing the hot development in the heritage area, especially protecting the ecological environment for the Trang An World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Gradually realizing the route connecting the westernmost to the easternmost of Ninh Binh province, from the mountainous area of Nho Quan district to the coastal district of Kim Son, opening up an inter-regional connection between the Northwest region and the Red River Delta. At the same time, synchronously connecting with important national traffic axes, such as the North-South Eastern Expressway, Ho Chi Minh Road, National Highway 1A, coastal roads, creating a strategic traffic axis, synchronously connecting with the traffic system of Ninh Binh province.

Land clearance is identified as a crucial condition determining the effectiveness, progress, and success of the project. With a spirit of responsibility, solidarity, and unity, and continuing to innovate leadership and management methods to ensure "clear responsibilities, clear tasks, clear results, clear timelines, and clear accountability," the Provincial People's Committee has focused on leading and directing relevant departments, agencies, and the People's Committees of Tam Diep City and Nho Quan District (through which the route passes) to complete land clearance early to facilitate construction. The Provincial People's Committee has established a working group to directly support and resolve obstacles in land clearance in the localities. Simultaneously, it has led and directed relevant departments, agencies, and localities to promptly address difficulties and focus on accelerating the construction progress of the project.

Up to now, the entire site has been handed over for project construction. Of which, the land area that needs to be cleared in Tam Diep city is 48.20 hectares; Nho Quan district is 128.65 hectares.

Comrade Dang Xuan Nguyen, Secretary of the Nho Quan District Party Committee, emphasized: After two years of implementing land clearance for the investment project to build the East-West road in Ninh Binh province (Phase I), the section passing through Nho Quan district has been basically completed, exceeding the plan assigned by the Provincial People's Committee by 1.5 months. This demonstrates the great efforts of the Party committees and authorities at all levels, the unity and consensus of cadres, Party members and people of Nho Quan district; especially the regular, responsible and timely coordination of the investor and contractor with the local government with the common desire to contribute to building the largest connecting road ever, opening up space, creating opportunities and new impetus to promote rapid and sustainable socio-economic development of Ninh Binh province in general and the localities through which the project passes in particular.

Comrade Pham Quoc Chinh, Director of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board for Transportation Works, representing the investor, stated: The East-West road is the largest connecting road project implemented by Ninh Binh province. Therefore, as the investor of the project, the unit has demonstrated a high sense of responsibility, proactively and actively following the attention, guidance, and assistance of the Ninh Binh Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee; and the coordination and assistance of relevant departments and localities to direct relevant units and contractors to focus resources and overcome difficulties to implement the project, from the establishment of investment procedures to the organization of construction.

Currently, the route has been opened, the excavation and embankment work, and all bridges and culverts on the route have been basically completed. In particular, the section connecting from Dong Giao intersection of Mai Son Expressway - National Highway 45 to National Highway 1A and connecting with Nho Quan district with a total length of 7.5 km has been completed, qualified for exploitation and traffic opening during the Lunar New Year 2024. Currently, contractors are focusing on completing the remaining works. Organizing the traffic opening on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex being recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage is of important significance in recognizing and praising the efforts of departments, branches, localities and units participating in the project implementation in completing investment procedures, site clearance, and organizing construction.

Continuing to implement the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee's viewpoint on strengthening leadership and guidance in public investment, focusing on the swift and decisive implementation of each project, putting it into operation and use, and quickly maximizing investment efficiency to serve as a basis and driving force for attracting investment and socio-economic development, Ninh Binh province will focus its resources on completing the entire East-West road in the coming period.

The route will pass through four districts and cities, connecting the westernmost and easternmost parts of Ninh Binh province, from the mountainous area of Nho Quan district to the coastal district of Kim Son. This will open up opportunities and impetus for development in approximately 50,000 hectares in the southern part of Ninh Binh province, especially the mountainous and ecological areas of Nho Quan district, Tam Diep city, Yen Mo district, and the entire coastal area of Kim Son district. Simultaneously, it will create a strategic transportation axis, seamlessly integrating with the province's transportation system; connecting economic centers with the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, the Cuc Phuong National Heritage site, and the potentially rich mountainous area of Kim Son; and opening up new opportunities and impetus to promote rapid and sustainable socio-economic development in Ninh Binh province.

In particular, the route connects synchronously with important national traffic axes such as: the North-South Eastern Expressway, National Highway 1A, coastal roads, North-South railway...; opens up a connection direction with the Ho Chi Minh route and inter-regional connection between the Northwest region (Hoa Binh, Son La) and the Red River Delta...

Nguyen Thom

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