The construction work began on the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, which costs VND4.26 trillion (US$199.67 million), following a groundbreaking ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on February 3.

Officials at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The 1,465m-long suspension bridge with the 113m main tower leaning towards Thu Thiem is built under the BT (Build-Transfer) form and is scheduled to complete in 2018.

The bridge, which has six lanes for two-way traffic, begins from the intersection between Ton Duc Thang Street and Le Duan Street in District 1 and finishes at the Curve Avenue R1 in the new urban area of Thu Thiem.

The sketch of Thu Thiem 2 Bridge.

Upon its completion, the bridge spanning Sai Gon River will facilitate the traffic between Thu Thiem, which is being developed, and the downtown area in District 1.

Tran Ba Duong, General Director of the Dai Quang Minh Investment Joint Stock Company, the investor of the project, said the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge would help boost the city’s social-economic development as well as reducing the traffic congestion in the downtown area.

Thu Thiem 2 is the second bridge connecting the Thu Thiem area to District 1. The Thu Thiem 1 Bridge was open to traffic at the end of 2007.