Thang Long Bridge re-opens to traffic after four-month repair
VGP - Thang Long Bridge was re-opened to traffic on January 7 after over-four-month suspension for the repair of its deck.
The bridge allows vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour.
The ceremony marking the repair completion saw the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Chu Ngoc Anh and Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The.
Thang Long Bridge was built in the period from 1974 to 1985 with support from the former Soviet Union and was the only road linking Ha Noi’s downtown with Noi Bai International Airport until Nhat Tan Bridge was inaugurated in 2015.
The bridge has two levels, with the upper deck being reserved for cars and trucks while the lower deck for motorbikes, bicycles and trains. However, in order to reduce traffic load on other bridges, circulation of cars is also allowed on the bottom deck.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the surface of Thang Long Bridge is designed with a 30-year life expectancy, the four-centimeter concrete layer of the bridge surface is expected to last five or ten years.
The upgrade project costs nearly VND270 billion (US$11.7 million) and ensures that the surface can withstand the next ten years of use.
The Ha Noi Department of Transportation had a plan to adjust and restore 16 bus lines after the Thang Long Bridge reopened to traffic./.
By Kim Loan
