Road to drive regional economic growth

The improved routes will help improve the flow of goods within the central region  Photo:Duc Thanh

The National Road 1A, the most important highway in Vietnam, is overloaded and in disrepair. The construction of these projects, stretching central Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen provinces, will improve transport conditions not only for these provinces, but for the nation as a whole.

“These are very important projects for driving up economic development in provinces and the country as well,” Tran Anh Tuan, general director of the developer Deo Ca Company. He stressed that the infrastructure projects would also help prevent traffic accidents on the National Road 1A.

“We appreciate the developer’s strong commitment in executing the tunnel project in the context the world’s and Vietnam’s economy remain in difficulties,” said Tran Quang Nhat, Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee, adding that those were among the nation’s  most important infrastructure projects.

Both Deo Ca and the expanded National Road 1A  project are invested under tge build-operate-transfer investment form.

According to Deo Ca Company, the 37.5 kilometre-expanded road project will comprise six lanes designed for a maximum speed at 80 kilometres  per hour, stretching to Van Ninh district of Khanh Hoa province. This project costs around $125 million and will be funded by Vietinbank.

The 500-metre Co Ma tunnel is a part of the $750 million Deo Ca tunnel project on the National Road  1A which also connects with the expanded road project. The entire project spans over 13.4km, including 3.9km Deo Ca tunnel, 500m Co Ma tunnel and 9km approach road and bridges. The project is slated for finalisation by 2016 and the estimated time for capital recouping will be 28 years from 2016 to 2044.

Once opening to traffic Deo Ca tunnel could halve travelling distance for transport vehicles running on the National Road  1A, session crossing Ca pass and the needed time for travel would only be one fourth of that previously.

The Deo Ca tunnel project is the second tunnel built on the route. The first one is Hai Van tunnel through well-known Hai Van pass situated between central Thua Thien-Hue province and Danang city. Since operating in 2005, Hai Van tunnel has played an important role in improving transportation in the region.

And now, leaders of both Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces expect Deo Ca tunnel and the expanded road projects will play a similar significant role as Hai Van tunnel does.