Vietnam's longest river bridge opens to traffic.

On the morning of June 8th, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung officially opened the Vinh Thinh bridge on National Highway 2C to traffic.

This is currently the longest bridge spanning the Red River, connecting Vinh Phuc province with Hanoi. Attending the event were: Ngo Van Du, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, and Chairman of the Central Inspection Committee; Pham Quang Nghi, Member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Hanoi City Party Committee; Jun Dea Joo, Ambassador of South Korea to Vietnam; along with leaders from central ministries, departments, and agencies, and leaders from Hanoi City and Vinh Phuc province.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung cuts the ribbon to inaugurate Vinh Thinh Bridge.

The Vinh Thinh Bridge, spanning the Red River, is a vital transportation artery on the Ring Road 5, one of the three important ring roads included in the Transportation Development Plan and the General Construction Plan of Hanoi until 2030 and with a vision to 2050. This is the longest permanent reinforced concrete and prestressed reinforced concrete bridge in Vietnam to date, spanning 5,487 meters (including a 4,480-meter bridge). The bridge has a 16.5-meter wide cross-section accommodating four lanes with a design speed of 80 km/h. The project has a total investment of US$137 million, funded by ODA loans from South Korea and counterpart funds from the Vietnamese government.

After 28 months of construction, the Vinh Thinh Bridge, once operational, will connect two radial axes (National Highway 32 and National Highway 2), the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway, and the Ho Chi Minh Highway, forming a complete transportation system connecting the capital's center with northwestern provinces such as Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang. It will also help alleviate traffic pressure on radial routes such as National Highways 2, 3, 6, and 32 when traveling through central Hanoi to southern provinces and vice versa.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung commended the Ministry of Transport, the Thang Long Project Management Board, the authorities and people of Hanoi and Vinh Phuc province, especially the staff, engineers, and workers on the construction site for their close coordination, efforts to overcome many difficulties, and working day and night to officially put the Vinh Thinh bridge into operation nearly 7 months ahead of schedule, ensuring construction safety and quality.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Vinh Thinh bridge not only fulfills the long-held aspirations of the people (in Son Tay and Vinh Tuong) living on both banks, but is also a project of great significance in the process of industrialization, modernization, economic, cultural, and social development, ensuring national defense and security, transportation, and improving the lives of people in Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, and more broadly, the Northwest provinces.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stated: “I propose that the transport sector, Hanoi City, Vinh Phuc province, as well as all provinces and cities nationwide, compete and strive to build and put into use more projects quickly, ensuring quality and efficiency in the process of building socio-economic infrastructure. This is a breakthrough set forth by the 11th Party Congress to accelerate the industrialization and modernization of the country, to soon transform Vietnam into a fundamentally modern industrialized nation.”

On behalf of the Government and people of Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sincerely thanked the Government and people of South Korea for providing preferential ODA funding for the Vinh Thinh Bridge project. The Prime Minister stated that South Korea has become a leading investor, trading partner, and ODA donor to Vietnam. The Vinh Thinh Bridge is one of 13 projects funded by South Korea in the transportation sector, with a total capital of over US$1.1 billion. Affirming that the Vietnamese Government cherishes and will continue to manage and utilize funding from partners, including South Korea, effectively, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his hope that both sides will strive to deepen the Vietnam-South Korea strategic partnership, making it more practical and effective, bringing prosperity and happiness to the people of both countries.

According to VOV.VN