In early October 2025, Lao Dong Newspaper received feedback from a number of businesses in Bai Chay ward about the Bai Chay bridge lighting system that has been damaged for more than a year.
Ms. Nguyen Lan Anh - owner of Doi Thong coffee shop, zone 1, Bai Chay ward - shared: "After storm Yagi (early September 2024), Bai Chay bridge is no longer as sparkling as before, only one color is bright, cannot change color, so the intensity of light is also reduced. The number of visitors to the restaurant has decreased a lot because there is no longer a brilliant view of Bai Chay bridge with nighttime lights to take souvenir photos and sightsee.
At the Conference to announce the 2025 Quang Ninh Tourism stimulus campaign held on September 24 by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Provincial Tourism Association, a number of businesses proposed to soon restore the lighting system of Bai Chay Bridge - the tourism symbol of Ha Long and an important highlight to promote the development of the province's night-time economy.
To learn about this content, a reporter from Lao Dong newspaper contacted the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh province.
According to information provided by the Department of Construction, storm No. 3 - Yagi (2024) level 1415 caused serious damage to the lighting system, causing many light bulbs to break at the bottom of the girder, girder walls and bridge deck; the control cabinet was severely damaged.
Because Bai Chay Bridge is under the management of the Vietnam Road Administration, immediately after the storm, the Department of Construction reported to the Vietnam Road Administration and was approved to invest in the project of Unexpected Repairs to Overcome Construction Damage on Bai Chay Bridge, National Highway 18, Quang Ninh Province in Decision No. 3721/QD-CDBVN dated October 28, 2024, including the item of cosmetic light repair, and authorized the Department of Construction to approve the project in Document No. 1893/CDBVN-QLBT dated May 22, 2025.
By June 25, 2025, the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh has approved the project to repair damaged Bai Chay bridge with a total investment of 2.37 billion VND; Currently, the contractor selection is being implemented and the project is expected to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Bai Chay Bridge inaugurated on December 2, 2006 - is a symbol of modern architecture and technology of Quang Ninh.
At the end of 2014, Sun Group sponsored an artistic LED lighting system for Bai Chay Bridge, worth 40 billion VND, including 8,888 LED bulbs with 16 million colors, which can be programmed to change colors according to the theme.
The restoration of the Bai Chay Bridge lighting system not only contributes to beautifying the urban landscape but also creates more night highlights for Ha Long tourism.
