If the neo-Gothic Tower Bridge is a representation of the foggy capital of London, the Golden Gate Bridge is the starting point for travelers traveling from the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay, and Nanpu Bridge conjures images of the vibrant city of Shanghai, perhaps when discussing Hanoi, people would also consider the long history of bridges spanning the Red River that have crossed it.
Long Bien Bridge, erected by the French from 1898 to 1902 under the direction of the Governor-General of Indochina, was the first steel bridge over the Red River.
The bridge is still proudly standing there and continues to be an essential part of connecting the traffic of Northern regions to Hanoi after 119 years of witnessing many ups and downs and historical events.
The Tran Hung Dao Bridge, which will span the Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, and Long Bien districts with curves and a dome-like construction, has been finalized by Hanoi this year.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, head of the Hanoi People's Council, the design earned first place in a competition organized by the Hanoi management board for traffic structure investment projects and the Vietnam Association of Architects in October 2021.
The main bridge will have a length of 900 meters. The bridge will be 5.5 km long in total, including the roadways that will run beside it and through the districts of Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, and Long Bien.
The winning designs, according to the contestants, combine tradition and innovation.
There will be pedestrian lanes outside the dome-shaped building, which will include six lanes—three in each direction. On and off the bridge, pedestrians can use designated routes.
By the second quarter of 2025, the VND8.7 trillion ($374.4 million) project is anticipated to be finished.
Following the Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's approval of the city's 2030-2050 transport master plan, Hanoi will construct an additional ten bridges over the Red River.
To accommodate the demands of those traveling on both sides of the river, a number of bridges have been constructed, including the Hong Ha, new Thang Long, Tu Lien, Thuong Cat, Ngoc Hoi, Tran Hung Dao, Phu Xuyen, Van Phuc, Me So, and Vnh Tuy Bridge 2.
This information was provided by the Ministry of Transport in response to the Hanoi voters' request for the construction of additional Red River bridges.
Source: HanoiTimes.vn, Vietnamplus.vn, VNExpress.net
