VietNamNet Bridge –Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a detailed plan for the construction of a new ring road for Ha Noi.

The Phap Van-Linh Dam Flyover is part of Ha Noi's Ring Road No.3. Plans to build a fourth ring road to link satellite urban areas and suburban industrial zones with the city centre aim to help ease inner city traffic. (Photo: VNS)

"The new ring road is set to link satellite urban areas and suburban industrial zones with the city centre, easing inner city traffic, with especial regard to large trucks," said the General Director of the Transport Engineering Design Corporation, Pham Huu Son.

Son explained that, while the ring road would play an important part in developing the transport infrastructure of surrounding areas in accordance with Ha Noi's 2020 strategy, the 98km section of the new route would regrettably take up a considerable amount of farmland.

The VND66.5 trillion (US$3.2 billion) project is expected to span 14 districts, start on the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Highway in Ha Noi and end via the Noi Bai-Ha Long Highway in Bac Ninh City.

Capital will be covered by the Ministry of Transport, which will fund the new ring road via Build-Transfers (BT), BOT (Build-Operate-Transfers), land fund exploitation, the state budget and official development assistance.

Additional planning includes the completion of National Highway 1B-Me So Bridge and Me So Bridge, Ha Noi-Lao Cai Highway to National Highway 32 between 2017 and 2020.

The new ring road No. 4 will function as a highway in order to ease traffic flow from national highways 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 32 and the Thang Long Boulevard.

Airport link

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai announced the start of road construction project linking Noi Bai International Airport and the Nhat Tan Bridge in central Ha Noi yesterday.

The VND5 trillion ($ 243 million) construction project, expected to reach completion by late 2014, will consist of five parts and receive financial support via Japanese ODA and Vietnamese counterparts.

The first part of construction, overseen by the Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No. 4, kicked off today.

Deputy Prime Minister Hai urged the Ministry of Transport to make all efforts possible in ensuring on schedule project development and co-operate with relevant authorities in land clearance, compensation and resettlement.

Transport Minister Ho Nghia Dung said that the new 15km (instead of 30) route would shorten travelling time between the city centre and Noi Bai International Airport via the Nhat Tan Bridge while considerably reducing traffic.