After the historic flood in September 2024, Hanoi City is conducting a re-evaluation of the entire 126km of transport infrastructure along the Red River to adjust the route direction, raise the altitude and identify key points.
The Traffic Infrastructure Maintenance Board (Hanoi Department of Construction) has just submitted for approval the results of surveys and safety assessments to develop traffic infrastructure on the main axis of the Red River. The project has a total cost of more than 16.7 billion VND, stretching from Trung Ha bridge to the end of the old Phu Xuyen district.
The Red River plays the role of landscape axis, flood drainage and traffic corridor connecting the Capital with the Red River Delta region. However, riverside infrastructure is currently not synchronized, many low-altitude areas are often cut off when floods come.
In particular, the flood in September 2024 was identified as the largest in more than 50 years. Water levels in Hanoi reached +11.3m and Son Tay reached +13.51m, causing nearly 9,888ha of riverbanks to be flooded (accounting for 67.9% of the area). This reality forced the city to update hydrological data to recalculate traffic safety plans.
Research proposes detailed routes for Region 2 (section from Hong Ha bridge to Me So bridge) with 31.5km outside the riverbank on the right bank and 37.6km on the left bank.
Some areas such as Bai Thuong Cat, Nhat Tan - Tu Lien and Tam Xa are proposed to be partially adjusted compared to the old plan to avoid complex flows. In Region 1 and Region 3, the route is also oriented to pass through areas less affected by floods.
Notably, the proposed road design elevation is equivalent to the floodwater level in September 2024. This level ensures that the road is not flooded with a traffic frequency of P=4%, while protecting existing residents according to a 20-year cycle (P=5%). Simulation results show that the new road does not significantly affect the overall flood drainage capacity.
New data shows that the Red River channel is decreasing. With the same designed flood flow of 500 years, the current water level in Son Tay decreased by 1.31m and Hanoi decreased by 0.58m. This development helps flood drainage faster but is prone to riverbank erosion.
Therefore, the research group proposed technical solutions such as dredging riverbanks, building flood drainage canals in Tam Xa, Long Bien - Cu Khoi and building approach bridges at narrow points such as Chuong Duong - Hanoi Port.
This hydrological data set is recommended to be used as an official basis for preparing investment reports for the main roads on both sides of the Red River and bridges across the river in the near future.
