Yen Ly Intersection Overpass Construction Project (Dien Chau): Key Project

(Baonghean) - The project to build a different level intersection at the intersection of National Highway 48 with National Highway 1A and the North-South railway (Yen Ly - Dien Chau junction overpass) is a key project, of great significance in ensuring traffic safety and promoting trade and economic development in the Northwest region of Nghe An. The project has been implemented since October 2014 and is expected to be technically open to traffic on May 19, 2015.

The North-South railway overpass and National Highway 1A have completed 7/8 bridge abutments.

The intersection of National Highway 48 with the North-South railway and National Highway 1A is the starting point of National Highway 48 passing through the western districts of Nghe An and Thong Thu Border Gate (Thong Thu Commune, Que Phong District) connecting to Laos. The entire route is 165 km long, basically in the Southeast - Northwest direction, passing through the localities: Dien Chau, Thai Hoa Town, Quy Hop, Quy Chau and Que Phong, intersecting with National Highways 1A, 15A, 48C, 48B, Ho Chi Minh Road. This is a vital trade route from South Thanh Hoa to Western Nghe An, with a large traffic volume, intersecting with the North-South railway with a high train density, so traffic congestion often occurs on both National Highway 1A and National Highway 48 during rush hour. Accidents have also occurred due to poor traffic awareness, passenger vans competing for the right of way to pick up passengers, and not obeying traffic controllers' orders...

Thus, the investment in building a grade-separated intersection between National Highway 48 and the North-South railway and National Highway 1A is very necessary. The project will bring many benefits to society, reduce accidents, reduce traffic congestion; stimulate economic development in the western districts of Nghe An, protect the environment... At the same time, it will bring a highlight to the landscape in Dien Chau district in particular and Nghe An province in general. Faced with that urgency, on August 18, 2014, the Ministry of Transport issued Decision 3123/QD - BGTVT approving the investment project to build a grade-separated intersection at the intersection between National Highway 48 and National Highway 1A and the North-South railway with the goal of "To minimize traffic congestion and accidents at the intersection of National Highway 48 with National Highway 1A and the North-South railway, ensuring traffic on the country's key railway and road routes, in accordance with the planning and orientation of transport development".

Pursuant to Decision No. 1339/QD-BGTVT dated October 15, 2010 of the Minister of Transport on approving the Outline and cost estimates for restoring order in the safety corridor on railway lines according to Decision 1856, phase 3 and the proposal of Project Management Board 1 on approving the investment project to build a grade-separated intersection at the intersection between National Highway 48 and National Highway 1A and the North-South railway under the form of a BOT contract, Joint Venture 319 and CIENCO 4 have taken advantage of the budget savings from the National Highway 1A Renovation and Upgrading Project to invest in the construction of this project. The project starts at Km00+00, intersecting with National Highway 48 in Dien Yen Commune (Dien Chau District), and ends at Km1+234.25, intersecting with National Highway 1A at Km412+168, in Dien Yen Commune, with a total length of the main route and overpass of about 1.24 km. With a total investment of VND 249.76 billion, of which the estimated cost of site clearance is VND 62.75 billion. The project is expected to be technically open to traffic on May 19, 2015, commemorating the 125th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh.

Recognizing the importance of this project, the Provincial People's Committee, directly led by Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, held meetings with relevant departments, branches and localities and gave specific instructions and assigned tasks to each unit, department and branch. Specifically, on October 3, 2014, Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien chaired a working session on site clearance for the project to build a different-level intersection at the intersection between National Highway 48 and National Highway 1A and the North-South railway with the participation of relevant departments, branches, units and localities. After this working session, the Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 545/TB.UBND-GT, concluding: "The project to build a different-level intersection at the intersection between National Highway 48 and National Highway 1A and the North-South railway invested by the joint venture Cienco 4 - Corporation 319 under the BOT form is an important project.

Because it is located at the intersection of two major national highways, the traffic volume at this location is very large, and traffic jams often occur. Therefore, it is extremely urgent to speed up the construction progress to complete and put into operation soon (expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2015). To ensure the implementation progress as planned, speeding up the site clearance work is an important and decisive task; at the same time, because this is a construction project on an operating road, the project implementation process also needs solutions to ensure traffic, traffic safety and environmental sanitation...". The notice also requires the locality and relevant parties to complete the site clearance work in February 2015.

The intersection of National Highway 48 with the North-South railway and National Highway 1A is often congested and unsafe.

However, by April 3, 2015, the site handover had only reached 42% (520m/1243m) of the main route. Regarding the bridge, the investor had constructed 7/8 pillars (T4 pillar had not been constructed due to lack of site). For the road, the embankment from Km0+28 - Km0+500 and Km0+950 had been completed (in which the section from Km+800 - Km 0+950 had not been handed over the site but the contractor had proactively negotiated with the local people to construct). Due to problems in site clearance, the construction site had completely stopped. The bridge construction had stopped since January 10, 2015, and the road had stopped since February 5, 2015. On the afternoon of April 6, 2015, Mr. Tran Quoc Ha - Director of the Project Management Board said that the construction site for the T4 pillar (the main pillar to launch the overpass beam over National Highway 1A) has not yet been handed over to the contractor by the locality.

The overpass is under construction because the construction site for the T4 pillar has not been handed over.

Project site clearance map

Meanwhile, speaking with Nghe An Newspaper reporters, households within the project's affected area all agreed to support the policy of building a different level intersection at the intersection of National Highway 48 with National Highway 1A and the North-South railway, because they recognized the practical benefits: "When the project is completed, it will contribute to reducing traffic accidents, making travel on National Highway 48 more convenient, opening up opportunities for trade exchanges for households in Dien Chau with the Northwest region of Nghe An and neighboring Laos through Thong Thu Border Gate".

The delay in site clearance has led to the construction of the project being delayed and put into use later than expected, which will affect the economic development project in the Western region - a particularly important strategic area in terms of socio-economics, national defense - security and foreign affairs of the province, the potential and advantages for development in agriculture, forestry, hydropower, mining, tourism and economic development; greatly affecting the trust of people and investors in the local government.

So what is the main cause of this delay? Nghe An Newspaper reporters will inform readers in the next issue.

PV Group