Finding the reason why Nam Vinh Bus Station has been completed but cannot operate yet
(Baonghean.vn) - Although the construction items were completed half a year ago, up to now, Nam Vinh Bus Station located next to National Highway 1, Vinh bypass, in Hung Loi commune (Hung Nguyen) has not been able to come into operation. Through the reporter's investigation, the cause of this problem has gradually been revealed.
Traffic flow
In recent years, to limit traffic congestion in the central area of Vinh city, the planning of bus stations and the division of intra-provincial and inter-provincial bus routes has been carried out. In particular, implementing Decision No. 25/2011/QD-UBND dated May 30, 2011 on the promulgation of the planning of the bus station system in Nghe An province until 2020 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province, some bus stations that are no longer suitable for the planning of the traffic system in the area have been relocated. In particular, Vinh Bus Station, formerly located on Le Loi Street, was relocated to the North in Nghi Kim commune in 2018.
As of April 30, 2023, passenger transport activities at Vinh Market Bus Station have also stopped. All fixed passenger transport routes (including inter-provincial and intra-provincial routes) operating at Vinh Market Bus Station have been transferred to operate at bus stations located in the suburbs of Vinh city and Hung Nguyen district, includingNam Vinh Bus Station.
However, although Nam Vinh Bus Station completed phase 1 half a year ago, because the connection with National Highway 1 Vinh bypass has not been completed, this bus station cannot yet be put into operation.
According to our research, the Nam Vinh Bus Station construction project is invested by Nghe An Bus Station Joint Stock Company. According to the project information on the homepage of this unit, Nam Vinh Bus Station is built on the scale of a type 1 bus station, with a construction area of 100,000 m2, capacity of 500 departures per day and 15,000 passengers; total investment of 250 billion VND.
The implementation time was introduced from May 2009, expected to be completed in July 2011. But after a long time, until 2020, Nam Vinh Bus Station was built with an area of 46,200m2. In which, phase 1 of bus station construction has an area of 19,000m2with a total investment of 32 billion VND. By March 2023, this bus station has completed all items and is expected to be ready to operate as soon as passenger transport at Vinh Market Bus Station is forced to stop.
Arriving at Nam Vinh Bus Station, we noticed that this bus station is located in a “horseshoe” shaped area surrounded by the winding Rao Mang River and cut through by National Highway 1 Vinh bypass. Currently, the basic construction has been completed with the main building, parking system, fence and spacious gate. However, the main gate is covered with corrugated iron because this bus station has not been announced to operate yet.
Ensure safety after connection
Digging deeper into this issue, we learned that, according to the law, for Nam Vinh Bus Station to be able to operate, the investor must be allowed by the competent state management agency to connect the exit and entrance roads to other roads. In this case, due to the connection with National Highway 1, Vinh bypass, it is mandatory to comply with the Circulars and Decrees of the Ministry of Transport and the Government. The decision to allow this connection is under the authority of the Ministry of Transport.
According to Point a, Clause 2, Article 21 of Circular 39/2021/TT-BGTVT dated December 31, 2021 of the Ministry of Transport: "For national highways without median strips, the distance between adjacent connection points on the same side along one side of the route is determined according to the planning level of the national highway section, specifically as follows: for grade III roads not less than 1,500 meters, for grade IV roads or lower not less than 1,000 meters". According to this regulation as well as previous plans, the connection points in and out of Nam Vinh Bus Station with National Highway 1, Vinh bypass are expected to be located at points Km22+250 and Km20+600.
However, because the distance between the bus station and the planned connection point is too far, not to mention the Rao Mang River, if a service road is built to go in and out at the above two locations, the cost will be very high.
Therefore, from the beginning of 2023, after the bus station was basically completed, based on the reports of the investor and the Department of Transport, the Provincial People's Committee proposed to the Ministry of Transport to connect the Nam Vinh Bus Station project to National Highway 1, Vinh bypass at Km22+900 (right route).
However, the Ministry of Transport has requested clarification of the feasibility of the plan to build a feeder road to the approved connection point adjacent to the same side. Therefore, on August 31, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 7393/UBND-CN to the Ministry of Transport to clarify a number of contents related to the connection.
In which, based on the provisions of Clause 2, Article 1, Decree No. 117/2021/ND-CP dated December 22, 2021 of the Government to apply to the above connection location, due to the construction plan of the collector road being hindered by difficult terrain (at Km23+250 and Km22+412 is Rao Mang River), Nghe An Provincial People's Committee proposed to allow connection to National Highway 1, Vinh bypass right at Km22+900 (right route).
After receiving comments and explanations from the People's Committee of Nghe An province, the Vietnam Road Administration reported to the Ministry of Transport to consider the above proposal with the following conditions: Clearance of the land for design and construction of speed lanes, left-turn lanes and other technical requirements of the intersection according to regulations; consensus must be obtained from the Traffic Safety Committee of Nghe An province, the Traffic Police Department, and Nghe An Provincial Police on traffic order; and compliance with regulations on construction of passenger pick-up and drop-off locations...
On October 10, 2023, in Official Dispatch No. 11379/BGTVT-KCHT responding to the above connection sent to the People's Committee of Nghe An province, the Ministry of Transport acknowledged the opinions of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on the factors of transportation, connection, organization and traffic safety when the Nam Vinh Bus Station project is completed and put into use.
The Ministry of Transport also emphasized that, in principle, when bus stations are put into use, the traffic volume on the route to and from the intersection will increase, and at the same time, traffic organization issues will arise to limit conflicts between incoming and outgoing vehicles and pedestrians, ensuring traffic safety at the intersection and on the route through the bus station area. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate traffic safety measures when connecting bus stations to national highways.
It is known that, from the guidance of the Ministry of Transport in Official Dispatch 11379 dated October 18, 2023, Nghe An Department of Transport also sent Official Dispatch 3940/SGTVT-KHKCHT to the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, Traffic Police Department - Provincial Police, requesting opinions on traffic organization, ensuring traffic safety at the intersection and on the section of National Highway 1 through the bus station area after the intersection is formed.
Nghe An Department of Transport also requested these agencies to clarify whether or not they agree to add the connection location of Nam Vinh Bus Station to National Highway 1, Vinh bypass at Km22+900 (right route) and present the reasons and send them to the Department for synthesis and reporting to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision.
The Department of Transport also requested the investor to provide all relevant documents and records (design documents and traffic organization plans at the intersection, including explanations and drawings clearly showing the impacts and traffic conflicts when the intersection is formed...).
It can be seen that the Nam Vinh Bus Station project is a very important project. When completed and put into use, it will contribute to reducing the pressure of increasingly developing means of transport at bus stations such as: Bac Vinh Bus Station, Vinh Market Bus Station...; ensuring the ability to synchronously connect the traffic system, limiting means of transport participating in traffic in Vinh city's inner area and creating convenience for means of transport from the southern region to Vinh city.
However, careful consideration to ensure the safety of people and vehicles entering and exiting the bus station at the connection point is very necessary when National Highway 1, Vinh bypass, has a very large traffic volume, many trucks carrying goods and containers regularly travel on this route.
Therefore, when implementing this project, enterprises also need to make efforts, be more responsible and proactive in coordinating with relevant sectors of the province, promptly explain to the competent agencies of the Ministry of Transport so that the connection can be carried out soon, ensuring the initial goals set.
