On the afternoon of December 13, speaking with Lao Dong, Mr. Tran Thai Hoa - Head of Road Management Office III.4 (Road Management Area III) said that the construction unit of the Project to Enhance Traffic Connection in the Central Highlands region has stopped traffic on National Highway 19 through An Khe Pass connecting Binh Dinh - Gia Lai provinces, to continue to fix the flooding and landslides, so traffic through the route is still congested.
"The construction unit is thoroughly fixing the muddy and subsidence spots that existed from yesterday's incident and is handling the new spots, so vehicles must temporarily stop traveling through the route. The responsibility for handling and fixing this incident belongs to Project Management Board 2 (Ministry of Transport)," said Mr. Hoa.
On the same day, Mr. Le Ngoc Nam - Executive Director of the Central Highlands Traffic Connectivity Enhancement Project, Project Management Board 2 said that after repairing and opening the road to traffic yesterday afternoon, it continued to rain heavily, causing the road surface to become muddy.
"The construction unit must stop the vehicles to thoroughly fix the muddy areas on the road surface, ensuring safety for vehicles moving through the route. We are currently in the process of allowing vehicles to circulate again," said Mr. Nam.
As reported on December 12, prolonged heavy rain caused a section of National Highway 19 through An Khe Pass to be flooded, causing traffic congestion for many hours.
The flooded location is where the construction unit is opening a new route crossing the old National Highway 19 at Km64+800 under the Central Highlands Traffic Connectivity Enhancement Project, section through An Khe Pass.
According to records, the construction road surface was flooded about 40cm deep. Mud and rocks from the slope slid down the road, burying the drainage system. To fix the problem, the contractor pumped water and cleared the mud and soil that buried the drainage system.
It is known that the Project to Enhance Traffic Connectivity in the Central Highlands region has a total route length of about 143.6km (17km in Binh Dinh province, 126.34km in Gia Lai province), with a total project investment of about 155.8 million USD, with Project Management Board 2 as the investor.
The project's starting point is at Km50+00, National Highway 19 in Tay Son district (Binh Dinh province); the end point is at Km241+00, National Highway 19 in Duc Co district (Gia Lai province).
