Since its liberation in 1975, especially 26 years after becoming a centrally-run city, Da Nang has become a modern and civilized city, the nucleus of the central key economic region. One of the city's successes is to be on the right track in urban planning and the development of transportation infrastructure. This is one of the key and cross-cutting tasks that generations of city leaders have worked hard to carry out.

A corner of the Vo Nguyen Giap - Hoang Sa coastal route. Photo: THANH LAN

Moving one step ahead in infrastructure development

Da Nang has made a great breakthrough in developing transportation infrastructure with such amazing works as international airport, railway station, Tien Sa Port, national highways, provincial roads, and more. In particular, the construction of Lien Chieu Port after undergoing its long incubation time is a new step for Da Nang to affirm its position and role as a dynamic city and a regional economic hub. The Politburo’s Resolution No. 43 dated January 24, 2019 on the construction and development of Da Nang to 2030, with a vision to 2045 identified the city’s 5 key areas which will be given high priority to developing, including seaports, aviation associated with logistics services. Thus, transportation infrastructure continues to be one of the city’s key development areas, thereby affirming its important role in outpacing the city’s growth.

In fact, transportation infrastructure paves the way for driving the city’s economic growth and unleashing its potentials, as well as attracting domestic and foreign investment inflows, thereby helping the city expand its urban space and give great impetus to the development of the city’s economy with the spectacular growth. Da Nang has seen positive changes with the construction of new bridges over the Han River, the expansion of urban land use towards the east and northwest sides of the city in an attempt to promote the development of tourism and economy. In addition, heed has been paid to constructing arterial roads, including western ring road 2, DH2, DT601, DT602, western ring road, Tuyen Son - Tuy Loan riverside road, northwest axis 1, national highway 14B, and southern ring road, thereby bringing outstanding facelift to Da Nang.

There have been many major infrastructure projects completing in recent years to celebrate Da Nang's liberation (March 29, 1975). Most of the major infrastructure projects in development were bridges. Included were the Han River Swing Bridge which officially opened to traffic on March 29, 2000, the Dragon and Tran Thi Ly bridges which were inaugurated on March 29, 2013, the 3-level overpass project at the Hue T-junction to be inaugurated on March 29, 2015, and the 3-level overpass project at western end of Tran Thi Ly Bridge to be inaugurated on March 28 , 2022.

In 2022, the city's transport sector developed many major transport infrastructure projects as well as worked with ministries and national government agencies to build such inter-regional roads. Included were upgrades and expansion of national highway 14B, Lien Chieu Port, the La Son - Hoa Lien expressway, the Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway. Besides, there were many key projects completing last year, making an important contribution to the city's socio-economic development, such as the Tuyen Son - Tuy Loan riverside route, UD2 road, and smart parking systems.

High priority given to constructing major transport infrastructure projects

Mr Bui Hong Trung, the Director of the Da Nang Department of Transport said that in 2023, the city’s transport sector will continue to give advice to the municipal administration to ensure that the city’s transportation infrastructure will be developed in a synchronous way in line with the city’s planning in efforts to drive the city's socio-economic development . The intention is to increase the city’s connection and link capacities with other central localities associated with effective management and full exploitation of the city’s transport infrastructure system. The focus will be on kicking off the following projects: upgrading a section of National Highway 14B which runs through Da Nang, a road linking DT.601 with Loc My Village, a section from the Phuoc Ly Resettlement Area 6 to Hoang Van Thai Street, Quang Da Bridge and its approaching roads, a road connecting the Hi-Tech Park with the western ring road.

The transport sector will urge developers and construction units of key transportation infrastructure projects in the 2021-2025 period to speed up their construction progress in order to deliver their projects on schedule. Included are upgrades of DT601 road, the shared infrastructure construction of Lien Chieu Port, coastal road connecting with Lien Chieu Port, upgrades and expansion of Da Nang International Airport’s cargo terminal, Hoa Nhon logistics center, and the Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway.

On March 22, 2023, the Da Nang Party Committee issued an action plan to implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 26 dated November 3, 2022 on promoting the city’s socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the North Central Coast and Central Coast by 2030, with a vision to 2045. The city’s action plan outlined 8 main tasks and solutions for sustainable urban system through the building of regional socio-economic infrastructure, especially transportation infrastructure. The focus was on developing key infrastructure systems to ensure regional and sub-regional linkages, especially traffic projects. They include Quang Da Bridge linking Quang Nam Province with Da Nang, the Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway, upgrades and expansion of national highway 14B in 2025, and overpasses in Tuy Loan and Lien Chieu.

After 2030, the city is expected to complete such key traffic projects as a section of high-speed rail lines across the region that runs through Da Nang,  a new railway link to Lien Chieu Port, moving to a new railway station further outside of the city center. Importance will be attached to developing a synchronous transportation system that enables it to connect with coastal economic zones, industrial parks, hi-tech park and airports, and seaports across the country. Special attention will be paid to completing the construction of a road connecting the western Ring Road with La Son - Tuy Loan expressway, a coastal route connecting with Lien Chieu Port, within 2025. Furthermore, high priority will be given to building a route connecting the Da Nang Airport with the western part of the city. The Da Nang government will work closely with Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces to call for investment in the Da Nang - Thach My - Ngoc Hoi - Bo Y expressway, as well as upgrading horizontal lines in national expressways connecting Viet Nam’s land border crossings with seaports countrywide.

Besides, the city will accelerate Da Nang International Airport upgrades in order to allow it to handle 30 million passengers per year after 2030, along with the expansion of T1 passenger terminal, and the construction of a new cargo terminal to be able to handle 80,000 to 100,000 tons of goods a year.

Reporting by THANH LAN – Translating by H.L