From 8:30 a.m. on September 10, 2024, the Hanoi Department of Transport has officially implemented a plan to restrict vehicles traveling through Chuong Duong Bridge to ensure safety for traffic participants. Accordingly, vehicles such as passenger cars, contract cars, tourist cars with more than 9 seats and trucks with a load capacity of more than 0.5 tons will be prohibited from traveling through the bridge. This regulation applies to both directions from Hoan Kiem to Long Bien and vice versa. However, buses are still allowed to operate normally, serving the travel needs of people.
Vehicles banned from crossing Chuong Duong Bridge will be diverted to other bridges across the Red River such as Thanh Tri, Nhat Tan, Vinh Tuy and Thang Long. These bridges have better load-bearing capacity, ensuring safety in the current extreme weather conditions. The Department of Transport also said that this ban will be in effect until a new notice replaces it.
Traffic participants are directed to move across another bridge.
This decision was made in the context of complicated rain and flood developments, hydroelectric plants releasing floodwaters after the impact of storm No. 3 (storm Yagi) leading to high water levels in the Red River, strong currents, causing great pressure, threatening the infrastructure of bridges. Especially, after the serious incident in Phu Tho yesterday - September 9, when Phong Chau bridge suddenly collapsed causing 10 cars, 2 motorbikes and 13 people to fall into the river.
To prevent similar risks, the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee has also requested districts, towns and cities to quickly review and inspect the entire traffic infrastructure system, especially in areas where incidents have occurred due to storms and river bridges in the area managed by the City. "Resolutely do not allow people and vehicles to pass through bridges at risk of collapse!", the representative of this agency emphasized.
Chuong Duong Bridge has been in use since June 1985, for 39 years now.
To ensure the good implementation of the traffic adjustment plan in the city, the Hanoi Department of Transport has requested the Traffic Police Department - City Police to arrange forces to guide and direct traffic vehicles to avoid congestion, while strengthening inspection and strictly handling violations of traffic safety order. The Department of Transport Inspectorate will also coordinate with relevant units to monitor the situation, promptly detect shortcomings in the implementation process and propose appropriate adjustment plans.
Thus, in the coming time, Hanoi residents need to pay attention to complying with new traffic regulations on Chuong Duong Bridge and consider choosing alternative routes to ensure safety and avoid traffic jams during rush hours.
