On August 12, Lao Dong Newspaper recorded that the road through the Sa Pa BOT station area is still closed to traffic.
Barricades and warning signs are arranged at the beginning of the toll station area, vehicles cannot pass through.
At Mong Sen bridge, the atmosphere is completely different from the days when the road operated normally. The bridge deck is wide, with little traffic. Some people take advantage of the bridge deck to dry corn after harvesting.
According to records, on the positive slope near the toll station area, there are still large rocks lying precariously.
This is identified as one of the reasons why the reopening of the road cannot be implemented, although the road surface below has been basically repaired.
Talking to reporters, a representative of Lao Cai - Sa Pa BOT Investment Joint Stock Company said that the unit has handled and repaired the affected road surface. However, the positive slope still has large boulders, with the risk of further landslides if heavy rain occurs.
The unit is focusing manpower and machinery to handle the positive taluy area. A remedial plan is being developed to be sent to the Department of Construction for consideration," said a representative of Lao Cai - Sa Pa BOT Investment Joint Stock Company.
While the road through the BOT station cannot be cleared, vehicles are instructed to move in the direction of National Highway 4D. Having to follow alternative routes affects the journey of people and vehicles through the area.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, a resident who regularly travels between Lao Cai and Sa Pa areas, said that the road through Mong Sen bridge being blocked takes more travel time.
Mong Sen bridge is originally a convenient road, since the road was closed, people have to go in a different direction. We hope the unit will soon completely handle the landslide area, but first of all, safety must be ensured before opening the road," Mr. Hung said.
And Mr. Dao Duc Huy (driver of the Hanoi - Sa Pa route) said that the positive taluy area near the BOT station has experienced landslides many times, especially after heavy rains.
According to Mr. Huy, the remediation needs a long-term plan instead of just treating soil and rock on the road surface.
This is a route with many vehicles passing through, especially tourist cars and cargo trucks. Therefore, units need to have fundamental handling plans to ensure safety and avoid having to close roads every time it rains heavily," Mr. Huy said.
In early July 2025, prolonged storms and floods caused serious landslides in the BOT Lao Cai - Sa Pa toll station area.
A large amount of soil and rock from the positive slope spilled down, burying a section of road through the station, causing traffic on provincial road 155 to be disrupted. Vehicles were forced to change direction to ensure safety.
After about half a year of recovery, by the end of January 2026, the landslide point was handled, the road was restored and vehicles could resume traffic.
However, on August 4, landslides continued to occur at Km12+600 of provincial road 155, in the area of the BOT toll station, the section leading to Mong Sen bridge. Soil and rocks from the positive slope overflowed into the station area, causing traffic to continue to be affected.
To date, traffic through the BOT station has not been restored because the positive slope still poses a potential safety risk.
