Can Tho bridge open to traffic
Cable-stayed Can Tho bridge, which has the longest main span in Southeast Asia, opened to traffic on April 24 after nearly 6 years of construction.
The 2.75km long and 23.1m wide bridge has four lanes for vehicles and two lanes for pedestrians. It links Binh Minh district of Vinh Long province to Cai Rang district of Can Tho city. It was built by the joint venture of Japanese contractors comprising Taisei Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Nippon Steel Corporation, under the supervision of Nippon Koei Co.
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PM Nguyen Tan Dung (in the middle) and other leaders cut the red ribbon to open the bridge |
The Japanese government provided ODA loans for this project totalling JPY41,923 million through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) under four loan agreements signed in 2001, 2009 and 2010.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Motonori Tsuno, JICA Chief Representative, expressed his hope that the bridge, resembling a white dragon overlooking the Mekong River, will be the symbol of the friendship between Japan and Vietnam. He expressed JICA’s commitment to provide further assistance to facilitate the operation of the bridge and the development of the Mekong Delta as a whole.
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Can Tho bridge on the inauguration day |
From now on, the bridge will help improve traffic flow between HCM City and provinces spanning the Hau River, replace the current ferry system and ease traffic congestion on National Highway 1A.
Over the past years, 13 ferries have been used every day to carry 60,000 motorcycles, 8,000 vehicles and 80,000 people between the two banks of the Hau River. When the bridge is open to traffic, it is forecast to cut the travel time by 20 minutes for each means of transport.
According to Tran Thanh Man, Chairman of the Can Tho Municipal People’s Committee, the bridge will open up new opportunities for Can Tho and provinces in the western part of the Hau River to attract more investment and fully tap their development potential for agricultural production, aquaculture and fruit tree growing.
During a recent visit to the construction site of the project, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung confirmed that the bridge will play a crucial role in socio-economic development in the Mekong Delta and the country.