The USD318-million bridge links Ha Long and Hai Phong in northern Vietnam.
Some drivers have complained about the problem. According to them, it was quite easy to recognise the subsidence on the bridge surface. Due to this, they only drove at 50-60km per hour compared to the maximal permitted speed of 100km.
It is quite easy to recognise the subsidence on the bridge surface
The drivers also added that if vehicles run at more than 100km per hour, they would face the risk of colliding with others.
Following the information, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The urged Quang Ninh authorities to work with Bach Dang Bridge BOT Joint Stock Company, the project investor, to check the bridge construction quality.
The investor has been required to instruct designing and consulting firms to find the cause of the subsidence. After that, the investor needs to provide a public statement on the issue to the media.
The investor admitted the problem, blaming this for weather condition which affected concrete elasticity.
The bridge construction was started in January 2015 under the form of Build-Operation-Transfer.
The bridge along with the Ha Long-Haiphong Expressway which will be opened on the same day is expected to help boost the economy in the north and has reduced travel times by car from Hanoi to Hai Phong from 3.5 to 1.5 hours. The route from Ha Long to Hai Phong has been reduced from 75km to 25km.
