The central city of Da Nang will start construction of a road tunnel at the junction of Dien Bien Phu, Nguyen Tri Phuong and Le Do, one of the busiest roundabouts in the city, with a total investment of VNĐ220 billion (US$9.77 million) in the third quarter of this year.

It will be the third tunnel project after a tunnel under the Hàn River and a road-tunnel at the West Hàn river bank traffic intersection.

Head of the city’s managing board of Priority Infrastructure Projects, Luong Thach Vy, confirmed to Vietnam News that the road tunnel project is included in the World Bank-funded sustainable development project.

He said the plan and details of the construction schedule have been approved by the city’s People’s Committee.

The plan will replace the current ground level intersection by a system of three open air tunnels and two underground tunnels. There will be two lanes for Bus-Rapid-Transit along with other two lanes.  

The project, which covers 48,000m2, will help ease traffic jams, while not destroying urban structures or incurring the cost of land clearance.

“We had planned a fly-over bridge at the junction, but it cost too much for the land clearance and numerous residents would have had to resettle,” Vy said.

“The tunnel solution helps keep the urban structures and doesn’t disturb the lives of thousands of people in the area,” he said.

Vy added that the two underground tunnels will replace the round-about with two-lanes each for cars and motorbikes.

He said the underground tunnel will be located on the current 48m wide Dien Bien Phu Street, and the construction will not disrupt traffic.

In 2013, the World Bank agreed to provide US$202 million for a US$272 million sustainable development project to help build the city’s Bus Rapid Transit network, build new roads and revamp the existing drainage system.

The bank also funded a five-year priority infrastructure project for the city, by covering 70 per cent of the total investment of US$218.4 million in 2008-13.

Last year, the city put into operation a three-level rail and road flyover at Hue Junction to alleviate congestion.

VNS