Laws of Vietnam

THE PRIME MINISTER

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To invest in the project for construction of Can Tho bridge on National Highway 1A with the following principal contents:

1. Construction location: The bridge will span Hau river in the area of Vinh Long and Can Tho provinces, about 3.2 km downstream from the existing barge ferry.

2. The project scope: including the Can Tho bridge, the access road linking the two bridge ends with National Highway 1A (the starting point will be at about Km 2061 on National Highway 1A in the area of Binh Minh district, Vinh Long province; the ending point at about Km 2077 on National Highway 1A in the area of Chau Thanh district, Can Tho province).

The total length of the project line will be about 15.35 km, consisting of:

- The Can Tho bridge (the bridge and the viaduct) of about 2,720 m .

- The access road of about 12.63 km.

- The design process and criteria: Mainly comply with the Vietnamese and AASHTO (the U.S.) process and criteria, with reference to those of other advanced countries.

- The general design speed for the bridge and road will be 80 km/hour; and a restricted speed of 60 km/hour for road sections running through residential quarters and traffic junctions.

- The longitudinal gradient of the main bridge, viaduct and access road: Imax = 4.5%

- The design frequency: P = 1%.

- The navigable clearance: 30 m x 300m and 39 m x 110 m.

- For Can Tho bridge:

Permanent bridge. The bridge size: 24.90 m wide arranged for 4 vehicle lanes x 3.50 m = 14 m; two pedestrian sidewalks x 2.75 m = 5.5 m, median strips and safety architectures of 5.4 m wide.

+ The main bridge: about 1,090 m long, using the flung cable structure, the bridge surface to be made of steel and pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams, with open caisson foundations to be made of reinforced concrete.

+ The viaduct: about 1,630 m long, using pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams, the reinforced concrete pile foundation.

- The bridge access road:

+ Bridge access road: with a cross section of 24.1 m wide, including 4 vehicle lanes x 3.5 m, 2 lanes for rudimentary vehicles, 1 median strip, 2 safety strips and two grass-planted pavements. The structure of non-rigid road surface shall be applied to ensure the designed tonnage.

+ Bridges on the access road: To be built in small- and medium-sizes, The size of each of such bridges will correspond to the road size. Structure: using pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams, and reinforced concrete abutments resting on reinforced concrete piling foundation.

+ Main road junctions, including:

. The junction with National Highway 1A to Vinh Long, which will be a semi Y-shaped with half of an undergrade junction (with a fly-over spanning Tra Da canal to be arranged in the location suitable for future connection with the future Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho express way).

. The undergrade junction with National Highway 54 to Vinh Long, diamond-shaped with a flyover.

. The undergrade junction with National Highways 91 and 91B (extended) at Cai Cui to Can Tho, diamond-shaped with a fly-over (a loop-line road will be constructed to link Quang Trung bridge with the center of Can Tho city; and another to link Hung Phu industrial zone, Cai Cui port in the future).

. The level junction with National Highway 1A at Cai Rang to Can Tho, trumpet-shaped, ensuring the principle of lane splitting and integration, and with a suitable length for the inter-weaving traffic flow.

+ At the concentrated population areas along the to-be-built road line, a diversion road, viaducts, daily-life slab culverts will be designed.

+ A toll gate: A semi-automatic toll gate will be built.

- The needed investment capital is about USD 295 million, equivalent to 4,100 billion dong (calculated at the exchange rate of 1 US$ for 13,900 dong). The total investment amount will be determined after the design and total cost estimate are approved.

- The capital source: Loans from the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) and reciprocal capital from the Vietnamese State’s budget.

- Investor: The Ministry of Communications and Transport.

- Investor’s representative: The My Thuan project management board under the Ministry of Communications and Transport.

- Construction tempo: Commencement in 2001 and completion in 2005.

- Technical design consultancy and compilation of the bidding dossiers: shall be financed with non-refundable aid capital of the Japanese Government, according to the mandate of the Japanese side.

- Supervision consultancy and construction contractors: Through international competitive bidding.

Article 2.- Assignment of tasks

1. The Minister of Communications and Trans-port is assigned to:

- Decide the technical plan in the technical design process on the basis of studying the opinions noted by the State Evaluation Council in Document No. 44/TDNN of April 14, 1999 and Document No. 105/TDNN of December 30, 1999; consult the People’s Committees of Can Tho and Vinh Long provinces concerning concrete technical plans, particularly junctions, in order to select a rational plan, use the capital in an economical manner and raise the investment efficiency.

- Determine the total investment amount according to the approved design and suitable to the actual price levels, other expenses according to regulations, and the State regime, through appraisal according to current regulations and submit them to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval before using them as basis for elaborating the bidding plan.

- Coordinate with the Defense Ministry in determining the navigable clearance, measures to treat the bridge towers as well as matters related to defense work in the project area in a rapid manner so as to ensure the project execution tempo.

- Coordinate with the People’s Committees of Vinh Long and Can Tho provinces and the concerned ministries and branches in directing the site clearance compensation and resettlement work.

- Direct the project execution according to current regulations.

2. The People’s Committees of Vinh Long and Can Tho provinces shall have to carry out the site clearance work to ensure the project execution tempo and create conditions for the project execution.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Construction, the Vietnam State Bank and the concerned branches shall perform their respective functions and coordinate with the Ministry of Communications and Transport in the process of negotiating loans and executing the project according to the State’s current regulations, international practices and borrowing and repayment commitments.

Article 3.- The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the concerned branches, the president of the People’s Committee of Vinh Long province and the president of the People’s Committee of Can Tho province shall have to implement this Decision.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI