Hai Van Tunnel Opens to Traffic

Hai Van Tunnel Opens to Traffic 

Hai Van Tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in Southeast Asia, was officially opened to traffic on June 5 after four years of construction, which would help reduce traffic accidents on Hai Van Pass and strongly benefit the central region.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai cut the inauguration ribbon at a ceremony in Hue yesterday morning to kick-start the first traffic flow through the tunnel for government leaders, representatives of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and local authorities.

The $151 million tunnel, funded by JBIC loans, will help vehicles slash the traveling time from the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to Danang City to just a few minutes compared to the former traveling time of 45 minutes cruising on Hai Van Pass.

Built 1,172m above sea level, the 12-km tunnel is the first combined road, tunnel and bridge complex in Southeast Asia and one of the 30 largest and most modern tunnels in the world.

It is the gateway for the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), a huge project of ASEAN and the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS) in particular.

The project will also foster socio-economic development in the region as it helps eradicate the traffic bottleneck, thus promoting freight transport and reducing transport costs. 

The project, comprising of a 6.3-kilometer double tunnel, 1.6 kilometers of bridges and 4.3-kilometers of approaches, begins at Lang Co in Phu Loc District of Thua Thien-Hue Province and ends at Lien Chieu Industrial Zone in Danang City. In parallel with the main tunnel, an emergency tunnel is also built to the east for evacuation of vehicles in case of danger.

The tunnel is equipped with a lighting system, a ventilation system, fire alarm and fire fighting equipment, a telephone, radio and camera system, and a traffic monitoring and control system with highly automated and modern functions, said Transport Minister Dao Dinh Binh.

The tunnel will help substantially improve traffic conditions over the dangerous Hai Van Pass, shortening the travel distance from 22 km to 12 km with a safe, effective and convenient tunnel system, he said.

All kinds of automobiles are allowed to go through the tunnel, except for those transporting poisonous and flammable substances, explosives and other dangerous substances. The maximum speed inside the tunnel is 80km/h.

Some 2,500 vehicles use the pass each day and the tunnel is expected to accommodate from 7,000 to 8.000 vehicles a day by 2007, according to figures from the Project Management Unit 85 - the tunnel’s management.

According to Hai Van Tunnel Management Development Company (Hamadeco), in the first week the company will open the tunnel from 6:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. As from next Monday (June 13), however, the tunnel will be open around the clock.

• P.V