Thang Long Bridge opens to traffic after five-month repair

Thang Long Bridge opened to traffic on January 7 after suspension for the repair of bridge deck.

The ceremony marking the repair completion of Thang Long Bridge saw the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung, Chairman of the Hanoi 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 Soviet Union and was the only road linking Hanoi’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.

However, after more than 20 years in service, the surface of Thang Long Bridge’s top deck has been severely damaged with many cracks, holes and depressions. It has undergone two major renovations but has deteriorated quickly.

In this project, 27,000 square meters of the bridge surface were repaired and covered in a new layer of ultra-high performance concrete and then another layer of polymer concrete.

The upgrade project costs nearly VND270 billion (US$11.7 million) and ensures that the surface can withstand the next ten years of use.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung hailed the efforts of the Ministry of Transport, local and Japanese experts joining in the project.

He also asked Hanoi authorities to co-operate with relevant departments to put the bridge into use effectively and ensure proper management to avoid it being over-exploited.

Adjusting 16 bus routes after Thang Long Bridge repair

After reopening to traffic, Thang Long Bridge allows vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour, helping to alleviate traffic pressure on the Nhat Tan Bridge and promoting the operating efficiency of the newly opened Mai Dich-Nam Thang Long section of Hanoi's ring road No.3.

The Hanoi Department of Transportation just had a plan to adjust and restore 16 bus lines after the Thang Long Bridge reopened to traffic.

The specific time for the adjustment will be published soon, the department said.