The cost of the repair project was VND270 billion(US$11.64 million).
Addressing the bridge’s inauguration ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said that the project was a particularly important one which will contribute to easing traffic congestion for the artery linking Hanoi with Noi Bai airport and the Northern provinces as well as the entirety of Belt Road No.3.
Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh said the Thang Long Bridge spanning the Hong (Red) River, located on Belt Road No.3, is one of the most important traffic arteries seeing huge daily volumes. The repair of the bridge will ensure synchronous traffic on Belt Road No.3, reducing the load on the Nhat Tan Bridge, and creating connectivity between regions, he noted.
The Thang Long Bridge was built in 1974 and was put into use in May 1985. After a long period of operation, the bridge deck was damaged and it underwent major repairs in 2009 and several small repairs a few years later, but the damage was not completely rectified.
The most recent repair began on August 16, 2020,involving a large workload such as the welding of more than 1.4 million nails, the installation of 800 tonnes of rebar, the spreading of 2,000 m3 of concrete and the laying of 27,200 m2 of polymer concrete, amongst others.The maximum speed allowed on the bridge is 80km per hour.
