Work starts on 5km Tu Lien bridge across northern Vietnam's Red River

Construction of Hanoi's Tu Lien bridge, 5.15 kilometers long across the Red River, commenced on Monday.

The significant project will create new urban space on both sides of the river and boost the transport connection among northern Vietnam provinces.

The cable-stayed bridge, to be built at the cost of VND19.83 trillion (over $764 million), will start at Nghi Tam street in Ho Tay district and end at Truong Sa street in Dong Anh district.

The construction includes the 43m-wide bridge and roads at its two ends. It is expected to be implemented from 2025 to 2027.

Site clearance will be deployed at the cost of VND4,332 billion ($166.93 million) in seven wards Quang An, Yen Phu, Tu Lien, Ngoc Thuy, Xuan Canh, and Dong Hoi of three districts Tay Ho, Long Bien, and Dong Anh.

The investor is Hanoi Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board. The construction contractor is a consortium of China's Pacific Construction Group, Vietnam's leading conglomerate Vingroup, and several other partners.

Nguyen Sy Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said the construction of Tu Lien bridge and the route from the bridge to the Hanoi-Thai Nguyen Expressway will significantly boost the connection among the northern and northeastern areas of the Red River as well as Thai Nguyen province.

Thai Nguyen, home to a Samsung factory, is one of the industrial hubs in northern Vietnam, together with Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Vinh Phuc, and Nam Dinh.

The bridge will boost the urbanization process in Hanoi and surrounding localities; disperse the population; reduce the traffic loads on Chuong Duong, Long Bien, Thang Long, and Vinh Tuy bridges in Hanoi; and ease the traffic pressure in the capital city's core urban areas.

It will also boost the connection between Hanoi's center and the city's National Exhibition and Fair Center and Gia Binh Airport in Bac Ninh province.

The National Exhibition and Fair Center, located in the outlying district of Dong Anh, is being developed by Vietnam Exhibition Fair Centre JSC (VEF), a subsidiary of conglomerate Vingroup.

Thanh noted that this is the first bridge across Red River to have construction started this year.

"Six other major bridge projects will also see construction commence this year, namely Hong Ha bridge, Me So bridge (Ring Road 4), Thuong Cat bridge, Ngoc Hoi bridge (Ring Road 3.5), Tran Hung Dao bridge, and Van Phuc bridge," he said at the construction commencement ceremony.