Vietnam’s major sea-crossing bridge near completion

Van Tien Bridge spans 1.5 kilometers linking Van Don and Tien Yen districts of Quang Ninh, home to world-renowned Ha Long Bay.
Costing VND800 billion ($35 million), it is the largest bridge of the Van Don – Mong Cai expressway project and the longest in Quang Ninh. Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway, the longest interprovincial route in Vietnam is part of Hai Phong – Ha Long – Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway that links northern port city Hai Phong with Quang Ninh.

The bridge is built with reinforced concrete. Its surface spreads 25.25 meters wide to have four car plus two emergency lanes for vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 120 kph.

The project is assessed by experts as having a high level of difficulty due to complex topographical and geological conditions, including fast tidal currents, a depth of 17 meters, and a layer of rock at the bottom.

These days, workers are completing the final steps of basic construction in the middle of the bridge before covering the bridge’s surface with asphalt and establishing the lighting system.

Almost 300 workers and engineers are deployed for the project.

Van Tien Bridge is connected to Dai Xuyen Bridge, which spans 450 meters and costs VND167 billion.

One kilometer from Van Tien is Tien Yen No. 1 Bridge that stretches 817 meters. Both Dai Xuyen and Tien Yen No. 1 belong to Van Dong – Mong Cai Expressway.
Vu Van Khanh, director of the Management Board of Investment and Construction of Traffic Works in Quang Ninh Province, the project investor, said Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway has 32 bridges in total, all of which the board targets to complete within this month.

The road leading to Van Tien and Tien Yen No. 1 bridges is under construction. This road cuts through a mountain. Work on Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway started in April, 2019 at a total investment of VND11.195 trillion ($486.6 million).
It is 80.23 kilometers long, 25.25 meters wide and has four lanes. The route is currently the longest interprovincial expressway in Vietnam and is expected to shorten the travel time from Van Don District to Mong Cai Town near the Vietnam – China border gate from two hours to 50 minutes.