(VLO) The century-old bridges, spanning the rivers of the land of nine dragons, have replaced the historical mission of the hundred-year-old ferries to help the West prosper. The traffic infrastructure is changing day by day, the new "runways" are the "crossing and splitting" highways, gradually assembling the pieces to form a complete traffic system...
Traffic congestion gradually cleared
“If the Western Expressway is built over and over again, it will never be finished.” That was the image that was used to describe the transportation system more than a decade ago, when at the end of 2020, there were only more than 40km of the nearly 1,200km of expressway nationwide.
People who work far away from home during the holidays are always haunted by the sight of ferry boats. The journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh Long, less than 200km, is so difficult, because “to cross the river, you have to take a ferry”. At that time, the entire Mekong Delta region did not have any permanent bridges to cross the Tien River or the Hau River…
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| Traffic infrastructure bottlenecks in the Mekong Delta region are being resolved. |
Therefore, passengers had to get on the bus and then get off the bus… waiting for the ferry. Every time they crossed the Tien River at My Thuan ferry or the Hau River at Can Tho ferry , cars lined up for kilometers, waiting for three to five hours to cross the river. Then, the My Thuan bridge was completed and made history for its latest cable-stayed bridge technology.
Still remember the inauguration days, from the night of the closing ceremony, people from all over gathered and stood all over the bridge. Going back in time to see that, having this bridge to expand the gateway to the Southwest region was a very long journey, from which the residents of the Mekong Delta burst into joy for the thousand-year-old aspiration that had become a reality. It has marked a bold mark in the traffic picture of the delta.
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| My Thuan 2 Bridge, along with the existing My Thuan Bridge, will promote effective traffic connectivity in the coming time. Photo: Tan Tan |
Then, in the following decade, from Rach Mieu Bridge to Can Tho Bridge and later the “continuous” Cao Lanh Bridge and Vam Cong Bridge connecting the two banks, that joy seemed to be multiplied. Some people shed tears of joy when walking across the century-old bridges…
Extending the "wings" of delta traffic is an urgent task for the key economic region with many potentials and advantages, especially in agriculture, seafood and tourism.
It is not only bridges, but also a comprehensive highway system with systematic investment. The difficulties of the Trung Luong-My Thuan highway after 10 years of stagnation are gradually being "untied".
The resolution to switch from the public-private partnership (PPP) method to public investment for many expressway projects is a testament to the determination of the National Assembly, the Government, ministries, branches, and localities to promptly resolve difficulties and obstacles to revive regional traffic.
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| The Mekong Delta transportation system is being deployed. |
Since then, a series of key projects in the South have had their procedures cleared. Since the end of 2020, there has been continuous good news related to the decision on policies, capital allocation, groundbreaking and sprinting of key transport projects in the Mekong Delta, attracting the attention of investors, creating high expectations for the people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh once affirmed: "In just half a term, the transport sector has achieved a miracle."
That is the spirit of determination, daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility, at the same time showing the will to "overcome the sun, overcome the rain" so that today's delta traffic system can "change its appearance", commensurate with its potential and strengths, and converge all the conditions for future breakthroughs.
Traffic "crossing and cutting"
According to the approved road network planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Mekong Delta is planned to have 6 expressways with a total length of about 1,166km, with a scale of 4-6 lanes. Of which, there are 3 vertical expressways and 3 horizontal expressways.
With the connected transport system, the authorities of the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta have been able to proactively develop many programs and plans to "catch the wave" of investment. Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, Tran Viet Truong, said that the city has planned areas for economic development. When My Thuan 2 Bridge and My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway are completed, the travel time to Ho Chi Minh City will be shortened to more than 2 hours, trade will be convenient, contributing to the development of Cai Cui port cluster. In addition, the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang horizontal expressway will also be a driving force for the locality to develop the Vinh Thanh Industrial Park, which is being formed with a scale of about 900 hectares.
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| The Eastern North-South Expressway is expected to create development momentum for the entire Mekong Delta region. |
As the province with the longest length of the Ho Chi Minh City-Can Tho expressway, with the expectation of many direct advantages, Chairman of the Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee Lu Quang Ngoi said that he has planned 2 industrial parks on this expressway with a total area of over 800 hectares, open and ready to welcome investment.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, during an inspection and supervision of key transport projects, emphasized the importance of transport infrastructure to the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta region. Therefore, the Prime Minister directed that “we must not hesitate but start working immediately”.
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| Mekong Delta traffic will be convenient, contributing to faster progress with the whole country. |
During this term, the Government has so far allocated about VND480,000 billion of state budget capital for transport infrastructure development, three times higher than the previous term, from many sources including public investment, recovery and development programs, increased revenue sources, and expenditure savings, including the central and local budgets; at the same time, mobilizing social resources.
Determined to change the transportation system in the West, especially the highway system, seaports, and inland waterways, the Prime Minister also announced the idea of developing a North-South high-speed railway, in which the Ho Chi Minh City-Can Tho section is expected to be built first.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the Mekong Delta is a region with an extremely important and strategic position and role, rich in revolutionary traditions; a very fertile land, rich in potential, and the region most heavily affected by climate change in the country, so developing regional transport is "without retreat, without hesitation, must be done, achieving specific, measurable results".
The determination of the Government leaders, the Ministry of Transport and the localities in the Mekong Delta region, is very much expected that in the next 5-10 years, the expressways "crossing and splitting" from the mainland to the border areas will form a continuous and connected network. The Mekong Delta traffic will be convenient, contributing to promoting the socio-economic development of the West region to progress faster with the whole country!
Article and photos: HOANG MINH
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