The southern province of Dong Nai has proposed the Ministry of Transport approve widening a stretch of National Highway 1 bypassing its Bien Hoa City from four to six lanes.
The southern province of Dong Nai has proposed the Ministry of Transport approve widening a stretch of National Highway 1 bypassing its Bien Hoa City from four to six lanes.
Work on the 12.2km bypass project is underway but at a slow pace caused by land clearance problems.
Dong Thuan Investment Joint Stock Company, the project’s investor, said the proposed widening of the bypass would need an additional investment of around VND75 billion and that it would take one more month to complete the bypass.
However, over 200 households have not agreed to relocate to make room for the project.
Nguyen Van Khang, director of the firm, said that due to slow site clearance, his company would not be able to finish the project on schedule, resulting in extra management and construction costs.
The provincial government has recently instructed relevant authorities to hand over the remaining land to the investor this October. However, according to the investor, even if land was made ready, the Bien Hoa bypass would not be up and running by early next year.
Carried out under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, the Bien Hoa bypass starts from Tra Co Church in Trang Bom District and links to National Highway 51 in Bien Hoa City.
The bypass needs VND751 billion for construction and resettlement in two areas. If the proposed widening was approved, the cost would rise by an additional VND75 billion.
Kicked off in July 2010, the project was originally expected to be complete within 27 months but has already fallen behind schedule. The period permitted for toll collection would be 23 years and 11 months after the bypass is opened to traffic.
According to the Dong Nai government, the Bien Hoa bypass will help ease traffic congestion in Bien Hoa City, and spur economic growth in the province.
(Source: SGT)
