In recent years, transport infrastructure has become an important driving force promoting socio-economic development of the old Sa Pa town, a key tourist center of Lao Cai province.
The commissioning of the traffic route through Sa Pa BOT toll station has created a clear boost, when the traffic volume increased sharply, contributing to shortening travel time, stimulating trade and attracting tourists to the misty land.
According to records, since this road was put into use, the number of tourist cars, private cars and transport vehicles traveling to Sa Pa has increased steadily, especially on weekends and peak seasons.
Currently, Lao Cai province is implementing the project to build Provincial Road 155, the section from Mong Sen bridge to Sa Pa, with a total investment of about 360 billion VND.
The project is implemented in the period 2023–2026, undertaken by the Joint Venture of Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company 299 - Lao Cai Bridge Construction Joint Stock Company.
On February 6, records at the construction site showed that the construction atmosphere was bustling. Machinery and equipment were mobilized synchronously, many construction teams were deployed in parallel, workers took advantage of favorable weather to speed up progress on the complex hilly terrain of Sa Pa.
Information from the Lao Cai Provincial Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board said that the project is currently focusing on constructing bridge and roadbed items.
At Trung Chai 2 bridge, the contractor has completed abutments M1, M2, pier T3; constructed drilled piles for abutments, piers T1, T2; installed 8 prestressed girders 33m long and bridge deck span T3–M2. Currently, the unit is continuing to construct pier base T1, T2.
For Trung Chai 3 bridge, abutments M1, M2; piers T1, T2 have been completed, and 12 prestressed beams 33m long have been cast and installed. Currently, the construction site is deploying horizontal beam construction and subsequent completion items.
In the road section, the roadbed sections Km13+800 – Km14+900 and Km15+700 – Km16+00 have been completed. The contractor is deploying precasting component casting and constructing the roadbed sections Km14+900 – Km15+300, Km16+100 – Km16+300. The realized value of the entire project to date is about 40.5 billion VND, equivalent to 14% of the contract value.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Trinh Quang Vinh - Commander of Trung Chai 3 bridge said that the contractor is currently focusing on constructing and installing girders, molds and bridge deck. However, the implementation process is still facing difficulties due to problems in site clearance.
As soon as the clean site is handed over, the units will mobilize maximum machinery and manpower to continuously construct. If conditions are favorable, after the Lunar New Year holiday for about two months, the Trung Chai 3 bridge item will be basically completed," Mr. Vinh informed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Phuong Lang Chinh - representative of Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company 299 said that Provincial Road 155 is about 6km long, passing through complex terrain, while site clearance work faces many difficulties. Up to now, the cleared area has reached about 50% but is not continuous, causing construction to be interrupted.
We hope that the local government will continue to coordinate to remove obstacles. It is expected that the entire route will be constructed in about 600 days, organized into two parallel construction teams to ensure progress," Mr. Chinh said.
