On Saturday, the Da Nang government held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project to renovate and upgrade National Highway 14B that runs through Da Nang with a total investment of nearly VND 800 billion.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha (middle), Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (left) and Da Nang Party Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (right) attend the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo: THANH LAN

According to the Da Nang Department of Transport, the project has a length of 7.58km, with starting point at Km24+633 in Hoa Nhon Commune, Hoa Vang District, adjacent to the La Son - Tuy Loan expressway intersection and the end point at Km32+185.09 in Hoa Khuong Commune, bordering Quang Nam Province.

The upgrade of the National Highway 14B is in accordance with the urban main road level, with a design speed of 80km/h, a road surface width of 34m, ensuring 4 lanes for motor vehicles and 2 lanes for mixed traffic.

The route will be designed with 4 bridges, drainage items, frontage roads, electric lighting systems, traffic safety signs and signals system.

Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh speaks at the ceremony. Photo: THANH LAN

The project’s total cost is more than VND 788 billion funded by the national budget. The project’s investor is the Da Nang Department of Transport. The joint coordination of the Dong Son Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company - CIENCO4 Group Joint Stock Company is the construction contractor.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh said that the commencement of the upgrade of the National Highway 14B aims to ensure synchronization of the entire route which runs through Da Nang.

Once completed, the project will contribute to completing the national transportation network development planning and the city's overall socio-economic development planning, improving exploitation capacity to meet transportation needs, enhancing inter-regional connection, reducing traffic accidents, promoting socio-economic development, and ensuring security and defense in Central Viet Nam and Central Highlands.

The ritual of pressing the start button to kick off the project is observed. Photo: THANH LAN

At the same time, the project is expected to help connect with the horizontal axis and expressways as well as the East - West Economic Corridor No 2 axis, thereby promoting socio-economic development of localities along the route.

In addition, the project will also contribute to changing the appearance of Da Nang’s western gateway in a modern direction, creating new spaces for urban development, especially in the direction of developing the transit-oriented development (TOD).

Chairman Chinh emphasised that the renovation of the route also shows the wish of the city's dwellers in overcoming traffic congestion and traffic accidents on this vital traffic axis. He requested investors, consulting units and construction contractors to implement the project on schedule with a heed paid to ensuing quality, labour safety to put it into operation in 2025.

Reporting by THANH LAN – Translating by A.THU