The service road of the North-South Expressway section passing through Nghe An is severely degraded.

The service road is in disrepair.

While traveling along the North-South Expressway service road section through Hung Chau commune, it's easy to see the serious deterioration of the road surface. Numerous potholes and uneven patches are densely packed, with some sections having a bumpy, "buffalo hump"-like surface, posing a significant risk of accidents for road users. Meanwhile, the traffic volume is quite high, ranging from local residents' motorbikes to cars and trucks used for production and material transportation.

Residents expressed that on dry days, the loose soil and rocks on the road surface are stirred up by vehicle wheels, creating thick clouds of dust that cover both sides of the road and the surrounding residential area. When it rains, the road turns into muddy, slippery sections, with deep puddles forming, making travel difficult, especially for the elderly and children. One of the reasons for this is the constant passage of oversized and overloaded trucks carrying soil and rocks.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Tan, a resident of Hung Chau commune, said that the access road has been in disrepair for a long time. Despite numerous requests and complaints from residents, repairs and remediation have yet to be implemented.

The situation is not unique to Hung Chau commune; similar problems are occurring on the access roads passing through Hoang Mai ward. Residents report that many sections of the road have been in disrepair for a long time, riddled with potholes and peeling surfaces, yet no repairs have been made. What's concerning is that these are all roads directly connected to the daily lives of residents, serving their needs for school, work, agricultural production, and small-scale trading.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Hoang Mai Ward, stated that the service road, originally designed to serve the local community and reduce traffic conflicts with the expressway, has become a safety hotspot due to its prolonged deterioration. Local authorities are concerned, but addressing the issue faces numerous obstacles as management has not yet been officially handed over. Ms. Mai requested that relevant agencies promptly repair and rectify the road to ensure the minimum transportation needs of the residents are met.

In Hung Chau commune, pressure on the access road system also comes from resource exploitation activities. Mr. Tran Van Hien, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said that there are currently active soil mines in the area, with hundreds of large trucks traveling on the access road every day. The road was designed to serve the local population, but the frequent use of heavy trucks inevitably leads to rapid deterioration. The problem is that this road has not yet been handed over to the local authorities, so the commune lacks the legal basis to invest in repairs or manage it effectively.

Repair it soon so it can be handed over to the local authorities for management.

In reality, this is not an isolated incident in just a few localities. The service roads along key transportation routes, especially the North-South expressway through Nghe An province, are revealing many shortcomings. Not only are they structurally damaged, but more worryingly, the roads are largely unmanaged, leading to prolonged repairs and maintenance, while the local people are the ones directly affected.

Mr. Nguyen Duc An, Deputy Director of the Nghe An Department of Construction, observed: "Most of the access roads to the North-South expressway, specifically the Nghi Son - Dien Chau section, are severely damaged, making travel very difficult for residents. The core reason is the lack of a clearly defined management authority. Without an officially responsible authority, maintenance and repair work is very difficult to implement."

According to Mr. An, the Department of Construction has conducted a comprehensive review and advised the Provincial People's Committee to send a document to the Ministry of Construction, requesting that they promptly consider and implement the handover of the access road system to the local authorities for management in accordance with regulations.

Following feedback from local authorities, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Phu Hien issued decisive directives. He affirmed that access roads are vital infrastructure projects affecting people's lives and cannot be taken lightly or allowed to deteriorate. The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that communes and wards urgently review the current condition and quality of access roads in their areas, compile a complete report, and submit it to the Department of Construction for handling.

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The Department of Construction needs to coordinate closely with local authorities, conduct on-site inspections of the access road system, and based on those inspections, propose that relevant units promptly repair and rectify any issues to ensure the transportation needs of the people are met before handover.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Phu Hien gave the directive.

From the investor's perspective, Mr. Pham Van Minh, Deputy Director of the Railway Project Management Board (Ministry of Construction), stated that in the near future, the access roads will be handed over to local authorities for management according to regulations. However, Mr. Minh also noted that the access roads are designed according to certain standards, only meeting the basic transportation needs of the people, and are not intended for heavy-duty routes.

The current state of the deteriorating service roads highlights the urgent need to expedite the handover process, clearly define management responsibilities, and implement comprehensive solutions for protecting transportation infrastructure. Service roads are not merely an auxiliary part of the expressway project; they are essential transportation routes linked to the livelihoods and lives of thousands of households.