Work starts on $327 mln bridge connecting Mekong Delta provinces

Construction of Dai Ngai Bridge crossing the Hau River, a Mekong tributary, connecting Tra Vinh and Soc Trang provinces, kicked off on Sunday.

The bridge is expected to cost nearly VND8 trillion ($327.4 million) sourced from the state budget. It will stretch over 15 kilometers on National Highway 60, with the Ministry of Transport’s project management unit 85 (PMU 85) as the investor.

The project features two four-lane bridges, including the cable-stayed Dai Ngai 1 Bridge over Dinh An channel which is more than 2.5 kilometers long and 19 meters wide; and the 862m-long, 17.5m-wide Dai Ngai 2 Bridge over Tran De channel.

Once put into operation in 2026, Dai Ngai will be the third cable-stayed bridge spanning the Hau River, after Can Tho and Vam Cong.

It will replace the last two ferries on National Highway 60, facilitating transport connections between the Mekong Delta provinces and helping shorten the travel time from Mekong Delta provinces Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang to Ho Chi Minh City by 1.5-2 hours.

Speaking at the construction commencement ceremony in Tra Vinh province, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the Dai Ngai Bridge project forms part of the master plan on the road network for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050.

He asked the authorities of Tra Vinh and Soc Trang provinces to speed up compensation work and hand over the site so the investor can implement the project, while supporting affected households in stabilizing production and ensuring livelihoods for them in new residences.