Transport Infrastructure Developed to Link Key Economic Places

The Yen Bai Department of Transport has actively consulted and introduced many solutions to mobilize and effectively use investment resources to develop transport infrastructure systems to link industrial, urban and residential areas to national highways and provincial transport networks. Mr. Do Van Du, Director of Yen Bai Department of Transport, gives an interview to Vietnam Business Forum Magazine, on this issue.

What do you think the development of current transport infrastructure to meet the requirements of people and businesses, especially local investors?

In the past years, the regional transport system has gradually developed from urban to rural areas to create a new face for the province. National highways are invested for upgrading and repair to meet local socioeconomic development requirements and connect with other provinces. From 2016 to 2018, Yen Bai province mobilized over VND6 trillion for the traffic road infrastructure development, with priority given to a number of key projects with great impacts on urban space development and local socioeconomic development.

In particular, in 2018, with a total investment of VND2,400 billion, the province focused on investing in key projects to mitigate consequences of natural disasters and floods such as Bach Lam Bridge, Tuan Quan Bridge, Khe Dai Bridge (linking National Road 37 with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway), the road connecting National Road 32C with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway, roads in Che Tao commune, Van Chan - Tram Tau Road, Ngoi Thia Bridge, Nam Dong Bridge and Tu Le integrated overflow bridge in Nam Dong commune. So far, some projects have been completed and put into use to link regions in the province and with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway.

In 2019, the province continued to construct many projects such as a road linking National Highway 32C to Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway, Au Lau - Dong An Road, and Tan Linh - Lam Thuong Road, promoted the construction of leading ways to Co Phuc Bridge, repair and upgrade of a road linking Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway (IC12) to Provincial Road 172 (Van Hoi - My Section), and invested in construction of inter-regional transport infrastructure to support socioeconomic development of poor districts of Yen Bai province (Saudi Arabia Development Fund) to further complete the transport network to ensure seamless connectivity throughout the province.

The construction of a route that links Nghia Lo to Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway has been approved by the Prime Minister to be included in the Ground Transport Development Plan to 2020 and further to 2030. As an advisor to the Provincial People’s Committee and the Ministry of Transport, what tasks and solutions have you adopted to speed up the progress of the project?

With Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway passing through the province, the project that links Nghia Lo (Yen Bai) with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway has been invested in accordance with the Ground Transport Development Plan to 2020 and further to 2030 and the Socioeconomic Development Master Plan for the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Area to 2020. The project will link National Highway 32 (which runs across Hanoi, Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Lai Chau) with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway, together with Provincial Road 165 (Mau A - Tan Uyen Road) that connects National Highway 70 with the expressway (horizontal traffic route connecting Dong-Tay Road with Noi Bai-Lao Cai Highway) to enable localities along National Highway 32, National Highway 70 and surrounding areas to easily access to Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway and promote trade of Yen Bai province with neighboring provinces.

Once completed, the project that links Nghia Lo (Yen Bai) with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway will shorten the distance and significantly reduce travel time from Hanoi to and among Northwest provinces such as Lai Chau, Son La and Lao Cai (from 2.5 hours to 1 hour), thus helping socioeconomic development of ethnic minority areas in Van Chan and Van Yen districts where the route passes.

To date, Yen Bai province has already completed the investment for Muong La (Son La) - Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) traffic route; prepared to invest in Khanh Hoa - Van Yen Road, Tram Tau (Yen Bai) - Bac Yen (Son La) traffic route; and studied investment in a route for IC14-Tan Nguyen-Phan Thanh-An Phu (Luc Yen district). Thus, the early project investment also helped the regional traffic network and better promoted connectivity between Northwest provinces with Northeast provinces, between localities in Lai Chau, Son La, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces with Yen Bai province and lowland provinces. On the other hand, the route will facilitate potential tourism development in the western region of Yen Bai province, thereby preserving and promoting potential strength of cinnamon areas in An Thinh, Dai Son and Mo Vang communes of Van Yen district, improving the material and spiritual life of people in Nghia Lo Town, Van Chan and Van Yen districts in the coming years.

In order for the project to be launched soon, the Department of Transport will continue to coordinate with its investor, the Project Management Unit 3 under the Ministry of Transport, to carry out the project, particularly in the course of land compensation. Due to inconsistent land compensation policies, the investor needs to coordinate with local authorities where the project runs through to seek best actions and options to submit the project scheme to the Provincial People’s Committees for implantation.

Thank you very much!