Kim Dong Street is fenced 26 meters wide, restricting certain types of vehicles from entering.

TPO - Regarding the large-scale barricades erected along Kim Dong Street for the construction of the Ring Road 2.5 underpass without prior traffic diversion notice, on May 16th, the Hanoi Department of Transport's Traffic Inspectorate worked with the investor and general contractor to develop a plan to ensure traffic flow.

At the headquarters of the Hoang Mai Traffic Inspection Team, Hanoi Department of Transport Inspection, Mr. Do Duc Hung, representing the investor of the Ring Road 2.5 underpass project, Hanoi Transport Project Management Board (Traffic Board), stated that the current erection of barriers on Kim Dong Street is for the implementation of phase 4 of the project. The construction items (parts of the work) include the open tunnel sections and the access roads to and from the tunnel on the Kim Dong Street side.

According to Mr. Hung, the main contractor and the joint venture contractors are currently barricading a section of Kim Dong Street in accordance with the construction permit and the traffic diversion plan approved by the Hanoi Department of Transport No. 91 dated March 21, 2024.

Kim Dong Street is fenced off with a 26-meter wide barrier, restricting access for certain types of vehicles (image 1).

Representatives of the investor and the consortium of contractors met at the Hoang Mai Traffic Police headquarters.

Currently, the investor is requesting the contractor to fence off a section of Kim Dong Street and monitor traffic conditions and vehicle movement for a period of time. Afterwards, if any problems arise, they will propose a plan to the relevant authorities to adjust traffic guidance and organization accordingly.

Regarding the construction barriers erected on Kim Dong Street, Mr. Ho Duc Phuc, General Director of Cienco 4 Corporation (Cienco 4) - representing the main contractor and the consortium of contractors for the project - stated that Kim Dong Street has a cross-section of 10 meters on each side. After the construction units trim the sidewalks to widen the street, the total cross-sectional width of Kim Dong Street will be 40 meters.

“To carry out the project here, the investor must erect a fence with a width of 26 meters. After the fence is erected and construction is complete, the remaining width of Kim Dong road on each side for traffic will be 7 meters (a total of 17 meters including the width). The length of the fence in phase 4 is more than 220 meters (from the Giai Phong intersection inwards). The deadline for erecting the fence, according to the permit issued by the Hanoi Department of Transport, is December 31, 2024,” Mr. Phuc said.

At the current site, Mr. Phuc stated that the contractor is erecting barriers on one side of the road – the Giai Phong - Kim Dong direction – with a width of 14 meters and a length of over 220 meters; the remaining road space for vehicles to circulate is 7 meters (the sidewalk has been trimmed and widened); on the Kim Dong - Giai Phong direction, the contractors have not yet erected barriers, and vehicles are temporarily still moving within the permitted construction area.

Solutions are needed to reduce traffic congestion when Kim Dong Street is fenced off.

Regarding the traffic management plan after the contractor erects barriers within the announced area, both the investor's representative and the contractor's representative stated that they are still operating according to the permit and traffic diversion plan No. 338 dated April 5, 2024, which allows vehicles to make U-turns at the openings in the median strip of Giai Phong Street. There is no separate traffic diversion plan or announcement regarding Kim Dong Street.

Kim Dong Street is fenced off, 26 meters wide, restricting access for certain types of vehicles (image 2).

Construction barriers are appearing on Kim Dong Street.

Mr. Ngo Quoc Cuong, Team Leader of the Hoang Mai Traffic Inspection Team, Hanoi Department of Transport (chairing the meeting), stated that to ensure traffic flow when roads are barricaded for long-term construction projects, the principle is that when barricading roads, the investor and contractor must coordinate with relevant traffic management units to exchange information, reach an agreement, and develop a plan for notification, guidance, and traffic organization specifically for the area where the barricades are located. This helps people understand and proactively plan their travel, while also making it easier for authorities to regulate and organize traffic accordingly.

According to Mr. Cuong, the current traffic diversion plan No. 338 dated April 5, 2024, mainly serves Giai Phong Street. Specifically, for passenger vehicles, the regulation allows vehicles with fewer than 29 seats to make U-turns at the Kim Dong – Giai Phong intersection to reduce traffic on Kim Dong Street. However, on Kim Dong Street, although the road width is narrowed by barriers, there is still no plan in place to organize or guide traffic flow.

Based on the above situation, Mr. Cuong suggested that the investor and contractor should erect road barriers within the permitted area, ensuring safety and installing all necessary signs and directional markers as required. At the same time, it is necessary to restrict certain types of vehicles during certain hours or during the day, such as trucks, buses, taxis, and contract vehicles, in order to reduce the risk of traffic congestion.

The Hoang Mai Traffic Police Team will report to the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate and organize an inter-agency meeting to develop a plan for regulating, guiding, and organizing traffic appropriately on Kim Dong Street and the Giai Phong - Kim Dong intersection. Afterward, they will require the investor and contractor to implement this agreed-upon plan.