As Lao Dong Newspaper has reported, the 10-lane route is 5.14km long, with the starting point connecting to Hai Phong - Ha Long - Van Don expressway (Tuan Chau ward) and the end point at the beginning of Hoang Quoc Viet street, Bai Chay ward, no one has managed it since 2018.
Therefore, since then, no unit or agency has been responsible for maintenance or upgrading.
The fact that the route is the most beautiful and wide in Quang Ninh province for many years without any management unit originated from the fact that the old Ha Long City People's Committee invested in expanding this route but did not discuss with the route management unit at that time, Dai Duong BOT Joint Stock Company.
Accordingly, this 10-lane route was previously part of the National Highway 18 renovation and upgrading project, Uong Bi - Ha Long section, implemented under the BOT form, with a length of more than 30km, a scale of 4 lanes, with a total investment of over VND 2,800 billion, started in October 2011, and put into operation on May 18, 2014.
However, when the old Ha Long City invested in upgrading and expanding this 10-lane road section (from Km10.+500 to Km107+400, part of the National Highway 18 renovation and upgrade project, Uong Bi - Ha Long section), with a total investment of more than 540 billion VND, there was no agreement with Dai Duong BOT Joint Stock Company.
Therefore, after completing the project to upgrade and expand 5.14km of the above road, Dai Duong BOT Joint Stock Company refused to accept it for management and maintenance because it was not in accordance with the original status and financial plan of the project.
Quang Ninh province has issued an official dispatch requesting the Vietnam Road Administration to remove it, but there is no basis to adjust the management and maintenance costs for BOT investors in the Uong Bi - Ha Long section to the new status.
Meanwhile, the old Ha Long City and the current local government also do not have a basis to manage this road section because the documents are under the management of the UBT investor of the Uong Bi - Ha Long section.
Therefore, the only 10-lane road section in Quang Ninh has not been managed by any unit since 2018, causing some points to deteriorate but cannot be invested in for repair.
To solve this situation, the Department of Transport and the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh province have previously advised the Provincial People's Committee to send to the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction a proposal to adjust and reduce (abandone) the 10-lane route from the BOT contract and transfer it to Quang Ninh province for management.
However, due to problems with many issues, the case has been at a standstill for many years.
According to the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh province, the Ministry of Construction has just issued a document approving the policy of signing an adjustment contract, including the content of transferring works and assets of road infrastructure ahead of schedule for the section from Km 101+500 to Km107+400 (10-lane road).
Currently, Dai Duong BOT Joint Stock Company has completed the audit work, determining the investment value of the section Km10.+500 - Km107+400/QL18 and the draft Appendix to the Contract on the transfer of the section Km10.+500 - Km107+400/QL18 to the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province for management; it is expected to advise the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh province to submit to the Vietnam Road Administration for consideration and approval in November 2025.
