HCMC — The Ministry of Construction is considering developing elevated expressways in the Mekong Delta as an alternative to roads built at ground level, amid concerns over shortages of sand for ground leveling and environmental risks.
The Institute of Construction Economics has been assigned to compare the cost and feasibility of constructing expressways on the ground or up from the ground. The analysis includes full lifecycle costs such as construction, land clearance, maintenance and repair.
Project management units and consultants have been asked to review ongoing expressway projects and monitor sections with weak ground conditions. The Department for Roads of Vietnam will provide data on maintenance costs.
Between 2021 and 2025, nine major transport projects are underway in the Mekong Delta and southeastern region, requiring an estimated 63 million cubic meters of sand. Most of the sand supply comes from An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, and Soc Trang provinces.
However, river sand supplies are declining, raising concerns over sand supply disruptions and environmental impacts such as erosion, pollution and flooding.
Elevated roads are less dependent on weather and ground conditions, reduce land use in densely populated areas, and help manage flood and salinity risks, according to the institute. They also reduce the demand for river sand.
While construction costs for elevated expressways are about 2.6 times higher than traditional methods, their lifecycle costs are only around 2% higher, at an estimated VND459 billion per kilometer.
The institute proposed a mixed approach, using embankments in areas with stable ground and elevated structures in weak soil zones.
