In 2024, Da Nang's transportation sector continues to vigorously invest in infrastructure, thereby expanding regional connectivity, gradually realizing development aspirations, while laying a solid foundation for attracting investment and promoting sustainable socio-economic development as per the Resolution of the XXII Party Congress of the city's Party Committee for the 2020-2025 term.

A different angle of the Hue T-junction overpass. Photo: THANH LAN

Transportation infrastructure footprint

By the end of 2023, the city had 2,694 road routes with a total length of 1,554.4km; including 37.9km of expressways; 120.9km of national highways; 68.7 km of provincial roads; 1,171.9km of urban roads; 110.7km of district and commune roads; and 43.9km of specialized roads (excluding alleys, lanes, and rural roads) and 75 bridges with a total length of 15,075.4m; 3 smart parking lots with 297 spaces; 23 temporary parking lots, covering an area of 72,509m²/3,020 spaces; 187 parking bays along the roads, with a total parking area of approximately 42,706m², accommodating 1,710 spaces.

According to Bui Hong Trung, Director of the municipal Department of Transport, the city has been implementing hundreds of infrastructure construction projects, especially transportation projects connecting centres, industrial zones, and regional linkages. Many of these projects are nearing completion and will contribute to the local economic development, particularly in attracting investment.

In 2024, the transportation sector is urging the implementation of the municipal Party Committee-issued plans and programmes on "Focusing on developing logistics services, seaports, making Da Nang a major coastal economic centre of the country". In particular, the unit is coordinating and urging enterprises and investors to implement projects such as technical infrastructure at Da Nang International Airport, and Hoa Nhon Logistics Service Centre in Hoa Vang District; and promoting investment calls for logistics areas within the High-Tech Park, Hoa Nhon inland port, Lien Chieu seaport, and Kim Lien freight yard.

The sector proposes investing in the construction and completion of synchronised transportation infrastructure to ensure regional connectivity in line with effectively implementing the action programs of all levels for socio-economic development and ensuring defense and security in the North Central and Central Coast regions by 2030, with a vision to 2045; closely coordinating with central ministries, sectors, and relevant units to effectively implement projects such as the Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway; national highway 14B (section passing through the city); continuing to propose the implementation of projects to upgrade and expand national highways 14D, 14G, the Da Nang - Kon Tum expressway, the Tuy Loan traffic junction.

Dynamic and focal transportation projects in the city need to be expedited, such as the investment project to construct Lien Chieu Seaport (common infrastructure part), Quang Da Bbridge and the approach roads to both ends of the bridge, coastal road linking Lien Chieu port, Northwest axis.

Currently, the transportation sector is planning to conduct feasibility studies for key transportation projects such as major transportation axes: relocating the Da Nang railway station out of the city centre, tunnel under the airport connecting east - west, tunnel under the Han River, Beltway 1, Beltway 2, Hoa Xuan bridgehead traffic interchange, connecting node of road DT 601 with the La Son - Tuy Loan route; investing in parking lots, inland waterway terminals, and completing procedures for auctioning parking lots at 51A Ly Tu Trong, 172 Nguyen Chi Thanh, inland waterway terminals, existing train stops and according to the planning along the Han and Cu De rivers.

Continue investment according to planning

Transportation infrastructure has the mission of paving the way to unleash economic potential and attract investment. This helps expand urban space, creating significant momentum for Da Nang's remarkable economic development strides. In recent years, Da Nang has implemented and completed many important transportation projects. Among them, the groundbreaking for the construction of Lien Chieu Seaport and the coastal road connecting Lien Chieu port are key projects, driving forces for the city. In the future, these projects will be directly connected to the expressway network passing through the area, creating an interregional transportation system.

According to Da Nang’s planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 as approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1278/QD-TTg dated November 2, 2023, by 2030, the city will have a synchronised internal and external transportation system and continue to upgrade and expand in the next phase. Accordingly, the city will implement a series of landmark transportation projects. Firstly, key arterial roads will be strongly invested connecting with the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway; upgrading the La Son - Tuy Loan expressway; National Highway 14B within Da Nang's jurisdiction will be developed into a major urban arterial road with 6 lanes.

In terms of urban road networks, planning will be conducted to build tunnels through the airport connecting the east and west, supplementing new routes connecting from Lien Chieu port to the southern bypass of the Hai Van Tunnel - Tuy Loan, forming the main axis connecting east - west.

In the public transportation sector, the city will construct 2 MRT lines, 11 LRT lines, 3 tourism LRT lines, or equivalent modes in terms of capacity and speed. Some LRT lines will utilize and expand the existing railway land for the North-South national railway to build, while also integrating urban redevelopment along the LRT corridor according to TOD guidelines. Additionally, a public transportation route (urban rail or equivalent mode) connecting Da Nang with Hoi An (Quang Nam Province) and Lang Co town (Thua Thien Hue Province) will be built.

Mr Bui Hong Trung, Director of the Department of Transportation, stated that in the coming time, the sector will continue to invest in building and completing comprehensive transportation infrastructure, focusing on contributing to the socio-economic development of the city. Specifically, efforts will be made to complete investment preparations, strive to commence approved projects, and coordinate with investors to accelerate the implementation progress of dynamic and key transportation projects in the 2021-2025 period using budgetary sources.

Reporting by THANH LAN - Translating by T. VY