Many potholes appear on National Highway 51
National Highway 51 is a vital traffic route in the Southeast region, connecting many large industrial parks along the two provinces of Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, connecting Long Thanh airport, Cai Mep - Thi Vai port. However, after temporarily stopping toll collection in January 2023, the road has not been maintained, causing the road surface to be severely damaged in many places, especially the section through Bien Hoa city.
On rainy days, the surface of National Highway 51 continuously develops potholes and ruts, causing traffic safety risks and traffic accidents.
According to statistics from Road Management Area IV, regarding road surface damage, on National Highway 51 there are currently about 186,000m2 of damage that needs to be repaired. Of which, the damaged area that needs to be handled immediately to ensure traffic safety is about 97,500m2. Regarding the traffic safety system, on the national highway there are currently 6,900m2 of worn paint lines.
In addition, along the entire National Highway 51 (through both Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces), many traffic accidents have occurred recently, causing many casualties.
Recently, the People's Committee of Dong Nai province requested the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration to urgently direct the Road Management Area IV to use all measures to promptly carry out patching and repair of severely damaged road surfaces, rutted wheel tracks and potholes on National Highway 51 through Dong Nai province.
Traffic on National Highway 51 exceeds design capacity 8 times
According to the Department of Transport of Dong Nai province, the current traffic volume on National Highway 51 has exceeded the design capacity by 8 times, causing the road to be severely degraded. A representative of the Department of Transport of Dong Nai province said that the investment project to expand National Highway 51 is a BOT project.
Previously, the project investor carried out maintenance and repair work. When the project temporarily stopped collecting tolls and handed over the assets to the Vietnam Road Administration to receive the items, the investor no longer carried out maintenance and repair work. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Road Administration could not carry out this work because it had not yet established public ownership.
Dong Nai Province Department of Transport also said that National Highway 51 is managed by the Ministry of Transport, and investment in maintenance and repair must use central budget funds.
To ensure traffic safety on the entire National Highway 51, Road Management Area IV recommends that the Vietnam Road Administration report to the Ministry of Transport to allow additional funding for emergency repairs on National Highway 51. In the immediate future, focus on repairing damaged roadbeds and surfaces at key locations, and locations with faded painted lines (outside the volume allowed for investment preparation) with an estimated cost of more than 51 billion VND.
National Highway 51 is not sufficient basis to establish public ownership.
On November 19, 2024, the Ministry of Finance sent a document to the Ministry of Transport regarding the establishment of public ownership of assets of the National Highway 51 expansion project, section Km0+900 - Km73+600 in Dong Nai province and Ba Ria - Vung Tau province under the form of a BOT contract.
In the document, the Ministry of Finance said that the Ministry of Transport has not yet completely resolved the above problems, so there is not enough basis for the Ministry of Finance to comment on the establishment of public ownership of the assets transferred from the investor of the National Highway 51 expansion investment project, section Km0+900 - Km73+600 in Dong Nai province and Ba Ria - Vung Tau province under the form of BOT contract.
The Ministry of Finance requested the Ministry of Transport to direct the Vietnam Road Administration and relevant units to thoroughly resolve the remaining issues of the project to terminate the BOT contract of the project in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Investment in the form of public-private partnership. On that basis, an official opinion will be sent to the Ministry of Finance for consideration and comments according to regulations.
