HCMC – The central province of Quang Ngai is planning to rebuild the Tra Khuc 1 Bridge, which spans over the Tra Khuc River, as the bridge has been deteriorating after nearly 60 years in operation.
The total investment needed to rebuild the bridge is over VND1.5 trillion, with over VND1.05 trillion coming from loans offered by the World Bank and the remainder funded by the provincial budget, reported VnExpress news site.
The provincial Management Board for Investment and Construction of Traffic Projects was assigned to hold a contest to select an appropriate architectural design for the new bridge, said the provincial chairman Dang Van Minh yesterday, April 19.
The new bridge will be 800 meters long and 27 meters wide, with six lanes and a water drainage and lighting system.
The province is likely to break ground on the project in the next four years as it has to wait for the availability of the capital. The existing Tra Khuc 1 Bridge will be demolished after the new one is built, Minh said.
Built in 1964, the Tra Khuc 1 Bridge is the first bridge to span over the Tra Khuc River. It measures 643 meters in length and 7.5 meters in width.
The existing bridge was previously part of National Highway 1A and was under the management of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam. In 2002, the Tra Khuc 2 Bridge was put into service on the bypass of National Highway 1A, around one kilometer away from the Tra Khuc 1 Bridge to the east and allowing vehicles with a high load capacity and north-south long-haul trucks to travel.
The Tra Khuc 1 Bridge was then handed over to the provincial authorities for further management. Only motorcycles, bicycles, and private cars are allowed to travel on the bridge. In 2011, it was upgraded with VND5.4 billion in investment.
