Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has ordered Hanoi authorities to complete site clearance and compensation rapidly to begin construction of the capital city’s first overhead road.

Overhead roads in Hong Kong.

$1.68 billion to build six overpasses

Hanoi to build overhead roads to curb traffic chaos

This overhead road is part of the second phase of the belt road No.3 project. This road will have a total length of 9 kilometers, starting from the Mai Dich roundabout to the northern part of Linh Dam Lake.

When completed, the road will be 24 meters wide, with four lanes. This will be the first urban overhead road in Vietnam, which will link to important routes like National Highway 1A, Thanh Tri and Thang Long bridges and Lang-Hoa Lac road.

In late February, the Hanoi Department of Transportation proposed the municipal government build six overhead roads from 2010 to 2015 at an estimated cost of more than 32 trillion dong (over $1.68 billion) to curb traffic jams in Hanoi.

In its report to Hanoi authorities, the department explained that the agency and local traffic police implemented various methods designed to control traffic jams in 2009. However, the situation has not improved significantly because of the quick increase in the numbers of personal vehicles. The development of transportation infrastructure has also not kept pace with the rise in auto numbers.

It asked the local government to approve six overpasses with four lanes, including: Lac Long Quan – Yen Phu road, Nga Tu So – Nga Tu Vong – Minh Khai – Vinh Tuy bridge road, Noi Bai – Mai Dich – Phap Van, Ha Noi Railway Station – Xa Dan – Pham Ngoc Thach – Ton That Tung – Kim Giang – Road 70, Tran Duy Hung – Lieu Giai – West Lake, and Giang Vo – Lang Ha – Thanh Xuan.

Previously, Hanoi Vice-Chair Nguyen Van Khoi agreed to build overpasses in Hanoi to deal with serious traffic jams in the city.

Some city planning experts have objected, claiming that this construction will damage the city’s landscape.

PV