Yen Bai Bridge is located on National Highway 37 in Yen Bai Ward, Lao Cai Province and has been in operation since 1992.
In September 2024, due to the impact of storm No. 3, the water level of Thao River rose near the steel truss system, a sand suction ship drifting freely from upstream collided with the pillar and girder of Yen Bai Bridge, affecting the quality, structure and safety of the project.

After that, the transport sector banned all people and vehicles from traveling through Yen Bai Bridge for many months and organized traffic flow through other bridges in the area.
After the repair, Yen Bai Bridge allowed cars, motorbikes and pedestrians to travel but still limited the height to 2.2m and banned all trucks and cars with more than 7 seats from passing.


However, there are still frequent incidents of trucks deliberately traveling through Yen Bai Bridge and crashing into a fence with a height limit of 2.2m".
Mr. Nguyen Duy Minh, a resident of Group 3, Au Lau Ward, Lao Cai Province, said: "My house is near the bridge and has witnessed more than 15 incidents when trucks are prohibited from entering the bridge. Especially near the rainy and stormy season, floodwaters are rising, so people are very worried about traffic safety".



To ensure the safety of the project, the Vietnam Road Administration has recently allowed the repair and reinforcement of Yen Bai bridge at Km280+500 on National Highway 37 through Lao Cai province with an investment cost of over 22 billion VND.
On July 16, speaking with Lao Dong, Mr. Nguyen Trong Tien, Head of the Road Management Maintenance Department, Lao Cai Department of Construction, said: Lao Cai Department of Construction is adjusting the plan to select contractors for construction packages according to Bidding Law No. 90/2025/QH15 (due to the transfer of investors). After the decision, the Department of Construction plans to select a contractor in August 2025 and carry out repairs and upgrades.



According to Mr. Tien, the plan to repair and supplement Yen Bai Bridge is 10 1.2m bored piles; adding steel supporting stones under the old pillar pedestal in a steel form combined with force-bearing bar and regular steel supporting stones, widening the pillar pedestal with reinforced concrete corresponding to the additional bored pile system.
In addition, there will be a joint design to ensure the synchronization between the old pillar pedal structure and the new pillar pedal as well as enhance against against bored pillar pedals using a steel-shaped system...
The bridge is 305m long, 12.8m wide, 7m wide (for vehicles), 6 spans, spans, precast reinforced concrete span structure and steel truss, bridge abutments (steel reinforced concrete beams, stone body), reinforced concrete bridge piers.
This is one of the five bridges across the Thao River and the first bridge in Yen Bai province (now Lao Cai province).