The construction of 18 footbridges designed to ease traffic jams and reduce accidents in Ha Noi, part of a wider renovation of the city in the lead up to the 1,000th anniversary of the capital, are now facing opposition from local residents and delays, said deputy director of the Ha Noi projects management board Ngo Quy Tuan.
Construction of two footbridges planned for Lieu Giai and Thai Ha streets came to a halt after residents denied workers access to the construction area in opposition to projects.
Four other bridges earmarked for Lang Ha, Tran Duy Hung, Nguyen Chi Thanh and Tay Son streets have also been delayed after initial project locations were changed.
Adding to existing problems, the planned construction of three bridges on Nguyen Trai Street has also been halted after they were deemed to impose on the route of the newly-planned Cat Linh-Ha Dong sky train project. A bridge planned for the Xuan Thuy Street project has also been delayed due to a planning conflict with the Nhon-Ha Noi urban railway project.
Urban planners are now considering the possibility of locating the footbridges under the elevated tracks.
Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khoi has instructed the departments of Planning and Architecture and Transport to assess this possibility.
In addition to these problems, the construction of five other bridges were also temporarily delayed due to issues with site clearance or modifications to the initial design. At present, only three of the total 18 bridges are still being constructed.
The latest news of delays and setbacks has drawn into doubt the ability of city planners to meet the construction deadline of October 10th.
In response, Khoi has instructed the relevant departments to complete a minimum of 12 bridges by the October deadline.
Total investment for the 18 footbridges stands at VND350 billion (US$18.5 million).
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News