Why did Quang Ninh spend more than 1,800 billion VND to upgrade National Highway 279 connecting the two cities?

Narrow road, steep slope, deep abyss

The section of National Highway 279 from Vu Oai Commune, Ha Long City connecting to National Highway 18 in Quanh Hanh Ward, Cam Pha City (Quang Ninh) was started in mid-September 2010.

The project has a route length of 13.9km, meeting grade III mountainous standards, with a road base width of 12m, road surface width of 7m, and design load of 12 tons. The total investment capital of the project is more than 286 billion VND, put into use in early 2013.

Since coming into use, this section of Highway 279 has become a vital road connecting Ha Long City and Cam Pha City in particular, and the Eastern and Western regions in general of Quang Ninh province.

In particular, at the time of flooding on Highway 18 in the But Deo area, Quang Hanh ward, this was the only road that could be used for traffic.

However, immediately after being put into use, the section of National Highway 279 connecting Ha Long City and Cam Pha City had many inadequacies. Because the route passes through steep hills with many deep pools. Meanwhile, the lane design on the Cam Pha City side is too narrow, with a hard median strip in the middle, so vehicles in the same direction cannot give way to each other.

Along with that, the route passes through high hills, the slopes have to be lowered deeply, while the geological conditions are complex, so landslides have continuously appeared, posing a potential risk of local separation and loss of traffic safety.

Notably, in the section in Quang Hanh ward, Cam Pha city, due to the steep and prolonged slope, traffic accidents often occur. Only from 2017 to April 2022, over 30 traffic accidents occurred on this road section, killing 3 people, injuring more than a dozen people, and causing nearly 4 billion VND in property damage.

From April 2022 until now, because the authorities of Quang Ninh province have coordinated to invest billions of dong to overcome infrastructure inadequacies on this section of National Highway 279, serious traffic accidents have no longer occurred.

However, the roundabout area at the intersection of National Highway 279 and National Highway 18 is always a nightmare for drivers passing through here. The slopes that often collapse onto the road surface are also a concern for drivers.

Investing more than 1,800 billion VND to upgrade the national highway connecting the two cities

After a period of preparation and approval from competent authorities, in early December 2022, the Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee decided to approve the Project to renovate and upgrade the section of Provincial Road 279 connecting Ha Long City with Ho Chi Minh City. Cam Pha.

The project has a total investment of over 1,842 billion VND, standard of level III mountainous area, 8.6km long, 33m wide, including 6 motor vehicle lanes, design speed of 80km/h. The starting point connects to National Highway 18 in Quang Hanh ward, Cam Pha city, the final point connects to Van Don – Mong Cai highway.

The project is invested by the Project Management Board (Project Management Board) for construction of agricultural and rural development projects in Quang Ninh province, implemented in the period 2022-2025.

Talking to reporters from Traffic Newspaper, Mr. Pham Phuc Quang, Director of the Project Management Board for Investment in Construction of Agriculture and Rural Development Works in Quang Ninh Province, said: The purpose of project implementation is to complete the transportation infrastructure system according to regulations. provincial plan, improving exploitation capacity and minimizing traffic accidents.

The project also aims to strengthen inter-regional traffic connections through the Hai Phong – Ha Long – Mong Cai highway to exploit the potential and advantages of tourism, services, and land in the northern area of ​​Ha Long City. and Cam Pha City…

“Currently, the contractors are ready with manpower and equipment for construction when the site is available. Therefore, we request Ha Long City and Cam Pha City to complete the compensation and site clearance work soon. level to ensure project progress according to the proposed plan,” Mr. Quang said.

The investment of more than 1,842 billion VND to upgrade National Highway 279 connecting Ha Long City and Cam Pha City has received high sympathy and support from the people of these two localities.

Mr. Nguyen Thuy Duong, land and construction civil servant of Quang Hanh ward, Cam Pha city, said: The section of National Highway 279 that was renovated and upgraded through the ward is over 5.2km long, with a planning area of ​​61.66ha. . There are 119 households on the route, and the organization must conduct compensation and site clearance…

“Up to now, the government has collected documents and approved the origin of land and assets for 117/119 affected households. The remaining 2 households are also urgently being completed. Currently, the authorities are completing Compensation and payment plan for people. According to the plan, by June this year, site clearance work will be completed to hand over the land fund to the investor for construction,” Mr. Duong informed.

Although the family’s high-rise house was only built a few years ago in a prime location in the new urban area in area 7B, Quang Hanh ward, when she heard the project was about to be implemented, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam immediately agreed to let her. Count now…

“The completed project will ensure greater safety for people and more convenient trade for the two cities, so after listening to the ward officials’ analysis, we immediately agreed,” Ms. Tam shared.