HCMC – Work has resumed on the long-delayed Binh Khanh Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge along the 57-kilometer Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway.
The construciton of the bridge got back on track on October 27 after a five-year suspension.
The main bridge package is expected to be completed in 11 months, according to Dang Huu Vi, director of the Southern Expressway Projects Management Unit under the Vietnam Expressway Corporation.
Construction of the Binh Khanh Bridge began in August 2015, with a total cost of around VND2.8 trillion. The bridge over the Soai Rap River connects the outlying districts of Nha Be and Can Gio in HCMC.
Work on the Binh Khanh Bridge came to a halt in December 2018 when it was 70% complete due to financial constraints.
The bridge has the highest vertical clearance in Vietnam, at 55 meters. This significant height between the bridge and the water surface is designed to accommodate huge ships navigating the Soai Rap River.
The bridge is a crucial component of the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway project, which commenced construction in July 2014. By the beginning of 2019, the project had been 80% complete. However, construction was suspended due to technical and legal issues.
In early July, the prime minister issued a decision revising the investment plan for the expressway project, paving the way for the resumption of construction work.
As per the plan, the project will secure loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to resume construction. The completion date for the entire project has been extended to September 30, 2025.
