Accelerated rebuild ordered for new Phong Châu Bridge following collapse

Phong Châu Bridge collapsed in September killing four people. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Transport has directed relevant authorities to accelerate the investment process for constructing a bridge which collapsed killing four people in the northern province of Phú Thọ.

Phong Châu Bridge on National Highway 32C collapsed without warning following Typhoon Yagi in September with multiple vehicles being swept away.

The bridge rebuild project is classified as an emergency construction under the Prime Minister's directive.

The new Phong Châu Bridge will be designed to accommodate four motorised lanes, consistent with the approved planning and the required width specifications.

The ministry asked relevant agencies to work closely with the investor to implement the project efficiently under the emergency directive, ensuring quality and completion by 2025, as mandated by the Prime Minister.

Specifically, the Thăng Long Project Management Unit (PMU), the project's investor, was tasked to focus on drafting a detailed implementation plan that accounts for adverse weather conditions and the flood season in 2025. Regular updates must be provided to the ministry for monitoring and further guidance.

The PMU has been directed to instruct design consultants to promptly finalise the design proposals for the bridge.

These proposals must address various factors, such as the bridge’s location, structural design, estimated costs, and economic and technical analysis.

The ministry has also required meticulous research on potential bridge alignments, aiming for the new bridge to align with the axis of the old bridge to minimise land clearance and additional road connections.

The most optimal solution should be selected in consultation with local authorities and relevant parties to ensure smooth subsequent steps.

Regarding the main span configuration, the design must be based on comprehensive data, including terrain, geology, hydrology, the current state of the old bridge, navigation clearance, riverbank erosion, changes in water flow, hydrodynamic calculations and flood safety for 2025.

The consultants must carefully analyse and compare options to select a design that ensures long-term structural stability while being economically and technically viable.

The PMU must guide the design consultants to expedite surveys, project design, and complete the proposal documents for submission to the Ministry of Transport for evaluation and approval under the emergency directive. Quality assurance and adherence to deadlines are essential.

Regarding the dismantling of the old bridge, the ministry requested the PMU to collaborate closely with the Việt Nam Road Administration and the Phú Thọ Department of Transport to take away the collapsed steel spans of the old bridge in alignment with the new bridge’s construction timeline and safety.

The Phong Châu Bridge, which spans the Red River on National Highway 32C, connecting Lâm Thao and Tam Nông districts of Phú Thọ Province, built with a steel truss structure with about 380m long and a load capacity of 18 tonnes.

The bridge, which was put into operation in 1995, collapsed on September 9 this year killing four people. — VNS