Construction begins on new bridge connecting two southern provinces
VGP – Construction began on Tuesday on Rach Mieu 2 bridge connecting the two Mekong delta provinces of Tien Giang and Ben Tre.
The design of Rach Mieu 2 bridge over Tien river
The bridge with six lanes is expected to reduce traffic congestion for the Rach Mieu 1 bridge as well as travel time from Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Soc Trang province.
Rach Mieu 1 bridge with two lanes is located about nearly four kilometers from the new bridge. On normal days around 18,000 cars use the bridge, and the figure usually jumps to 20,000 during weekends and holidays, three times its designed capacity. During the Lunar New Year, or Tet, the overload is much greater.
In a bid to ease congestion on Rach Mieu 1 bridge, Rach Mieu Ferry Station was built at a cost of more than VND100 billion (US$4.35 million) and completed last year as a temporary solution while waiting for the completion of the Rach Mieu 2 bridge.
Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the new bridge, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai said infrastructure remains a "bottlekeck" for development in the Mekong delta.
He urged the Ministry of Transport to direct the project management board to ensure the progress and quality of the bridge.
