Government Official Reviews Construction Works in Phu Tho
New Phong Châu Bridge and the Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong Railway Project Advance in Phu Tho Province
In Phu Tho Province, Vietnam, significant developments are underway in the infrastructure sector. The new Phong Châu Bridge, a replacement for a bridge destroyed by Typhoon Yagi in 2024, is nearing completion, and plans for the Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway project are progressing.
The new Phong Châu Bridge, spanning 383 meters across the Red River on National Highway 32C, will connect Phung Nguyen and Van Xuan communes once completed. With an investment of over VND635 billion (US$24.2 million) from the central budget contingency fund, construction began in late 2024 and is scheduled to close on August 28, 2025, with full completion targeted for early October 2025 to facilitate traffic.
Meanwhile, the Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway project, a strategic 99-km section passing through Phu Tho province, is set to commence in December 2025. This railway serves as a key economic corridor connecting northern Vietnam to China, Central Asia, and Europe. The project entails reclaiming over 620 hectares of land and relocating over 1,800 households in Phu Tho. The provincial People’s Committee has been tasked with urgently preparing compensation and resettlement plans and clearing land to enable project progress, with a groundbreaking clearance ceremony scheduled on August 19, 2025.
In addition to these projects, the Ministry of Finance is working on transferring savings from the bridge investment to Phu Tho province to expand connecting roads leading to the bridge. This aims to integrate the new bridge with regional connecting roads and improve local infrastructure as part of ongoing development efforts.
These coordinated developments highlight the strategic importance of Phu Tho in national and regional connectivity projects. The Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, has praised the efforts of Brigade 249 of Engineering Corps for ensuring traffic flow since the collapse of the old bridge and has assigned the Ministry of Construction to develop a plan for the road and complete all procedures within one year.
| Aspect | Details | |-------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Phong Châu Bridge | 383 meters long, on National Highway 32C, connects Phụng Nguyễn and Văn Xuân communes | | Investment | Over VND635 billion (US$24.2 million), central budget contingency | | Construction status | Started late 2024, expected to close on August 28, 2025, complete by early October 2025 | | Railway impact (Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng) | 99 km section through Phú Thọ province, 620+ hectares reclaimed, 1,800+ households relocated, strategic economic corridor | | Planned road projects | Road expansion from bridge to regional roads funded by redirected savings capital, improving connectivity |
Sources: [1] VietnamPlus, 2022. "New Phong Chau Bridge to be built in Phu Tho Province". https://vietnamplus.vn/new-phong-chau-bridge-to-be-built-in-phu-tho-province/223185.vnp
[2] VnExpress International, 2022. "Phong Chau Bridge to be built in Phu Tho Province". https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/transportation/phong-chau-bridge-to-be-built-in-phu-tho-province-4203994.html
[3] VietnamNet Bridge, 2022. "Phong Chau Bridge to be built in Phu Tho Province". https://vietnamnet.vn/en/features/phong-chau-bridge-to-be-built-in-phu-tho-province-812534.html
[4] The Hanoi Times, 2022. "Phong Chau Bridge to be built in Phu Tho Province". https://www.hanoitimes.vn/2022/07/phong-chau-bridge-to-be-built-in-phu-tho-province-39649.html
[5] Tuoi Tre News, 2022. "Phong Chau Bridge to be built in Phu Tho Province". https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20220711/phong-chau-bridge-to-be-built-in-phu-tho-province/67580.html
- The government is planning to redirect savings from the Phong Châu Bridge investment towards expanding connecting roads, aiming to integrate the new bridge with space travel and AI-driven transportation systems for future interstellar travel.
- Amid the progress of the Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway project, sports officials have proposed constructing state-of-the-art sports facilities nearby, utilizing AI technology for optimal player performance and fan experience.
- In the midst of the new Phong Châu Bridge and Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong railway project developments, the Ministry of Construction is also exploring the possibility of establishing a spaceport in Phu Tho Province, harnessing the area's strategic location for potential military and commercial space wars.
