On April 19, the Ministry of Construction, in coordination with the People's Committees of Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces, held a ceremony to celebrate the closure of the main span of the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, which connects Tien Giang and Ben Tre.
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Ceremony of Main Span Closure for the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge Project
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Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Tran Van Thi, Director of the My Thuan Project Management Unit (Ministry of Construction), stated that the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is a key national transportation project linking Tien Giang and Ben Tre. The closure of the main span marks a significant milestone in the construction progress, aiming for technical traffic opening by August 2025.
The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge crosses the Tien River, about 4 kilometers upstream from the existing Rach Mieu Bridge. The total length of the route is over 17.6 km, starting at Dong Tam intersection (Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province) and ending at National Highway 60 (Ben Tre City, Ben Tre Province).
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| Mr. Tran Van Thi, Director of the My Thuan Project Management Unit (Ministry of Construction), delivered a speech at the main span closure ceremony. |
The main bridge section is over 1.9 km long, designed as a cable-stayed structure with four lanes for motor vehicles and a design speed of 80 km/h. The two bridge towers are 113.5 meters tall, connected by 112 cable bundles.
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Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang also spoke at the ceremony.
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The total investment for the project exceeds VND 6,810 billion. Construction began in March 2022 (approach roads) and March 2023 (main bridge).
As of now, the entire project is approximately 85% complete—exceeding the general schedule by more than 5%, with the main bridge ahead of schedule by over 15%.
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Central government leaders, provincial authorities from both Tien Giang and Ben Tre, the project investor, and the construction units jointly conducted the closure ritual.
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In addition to the main bridge, the route includes five other bridges: Xoai Hot, My Tho, Tam Son, Ba Lai, and Song Ma. Four of the five bridges have been completed, with Song Ma Bridge expected to be finished by June 2025.
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The Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project on the day of the main span closure.
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The construction of 14 km of roads along the route is expected to be fully completed on the Ben Tre side by June 30, 2025.
Originally scheduled for completion in January 2026, the project timeline has been significantly shortened thanks to the government’s decisive direction and the efforts of the My Thuan Project Management Unit and involved parties. Specifically, the main span closure took place on April 19—about four months ahead of schedule—and the entire project is now expected to be completed by August, six months earlier than the original contract.
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Once completed and operational, Rach Mieu 2 Bridge will ease traffic congestion on the existing Rach Mieu 1 Bridge.
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Construction is being carried out intensively using a “3 shifts, 4 crews” model, with over 500 workers, 150 pieces of equipment, and 83 engineers and technicians. The My Thuan PMU has also launched a campaign titled “45 Days and Nights to Accelerate Construction Progress” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of national reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025).
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Scenic view of the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project on the day of the closure.
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Once completed, Rach Mieu 2 Bridge will reduce congestion on the existing Rach Mieu Bridge, meet the growing transport demand on National Highway 60, and contribute to the socio-economic development and national security of the Mekong Delta region. It aligns with both national and local road network planning.
At the bridge closure ceremony, Mr. Canh Manh Hung, Director of the Joint Venture Executive Board (Trung Nam EC – Trung Chinh – Dat Phuong and Bac Trung Nam), expressed pride in completing the span closure ahead of the country's reunification anniversary.
Currently, Trung Nam EC and the contractor consortium are mobilizing all resources and personnel under the “3 shifts, 4 crews” system to ensure the project is completed on time as planned.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang commended and highly appreciated the positive results achieved by the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction), the provinces of Tien Giang and Ben Tre, the My Thuan PMU, consultants, and contractors involved in the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project.
In the coming period, Minister Nguyen Van Thang urged the Ministry of Construction, the My Thuan PMU, consultants, and contractors to continue closely coordinating with local authorities to further accelerate construction and bring the project into operation as soon as possible.
SOURCE: VIETNAM NEWS AGENCY (VNA)