National Highway 45-Nghi Sơn Expressway: Overtime Construction to Meet Deadlines

Contractors for the National Highway 45-Nghi Sơn Expressway project are taking advantage of favorable weather conditions, mobilizing resources to complete the project as planned.

The National Highway 45-Nghi Sơn Expressway spans 43.28 km through Thanh Hóa province, with a total investment of VND 5,534.4 billion, divided into three construction packages. Contractors are making every effort to meet the target completion by September 2023.

No Signs of Slowing Down
Nguyễn Ngọc Quỳnh, the project director from Project Management Unit 2 (Ministry of Transport), reported that, as of now, 52.41% of the work has been completed, equating to VND 1,633.6 billion out of the total VND 3,117.3 billion. Major work, including roadbed excavation, embankment, and the construction of bridges and tunnels, is progressing in line with the set schedule.

Package XL01 (Km337-Km349), scheduled to finish on July 17, 2023, completed embankment work by December 15, 2022, with plans to remove the load-bearing structure by May 30, 2023, and lay asphalt by June 28, 2023.

Package XL02 (Km349-Km364+410.7), scheduled to finish on August 25, 2023, had finished embankment work by December 31, 2022, and aims to lay asphalt by August 10, 2023.

Package XL03 (Km364+410.75-Km380), scheduled to finish on June 20, 2023, completed roadbed work on December 31, 2022, with asphalt work set to be completed by May 27, 2023.

Lizen, responsible for 5.7 km of the main route and 4.3 km of the connecting route in Package XL02, has already achieved 55% progress—exceeding contractual targets. According to Nguyễn Mạnh Tuấn, Lizen's director for the XL02 package, the company is crushing stones on-site and has mobilized 300-400 workers to operate 10 construction crews. The company is pushing forward, with efforts to work long hours when conditions allow.

Lizen’s strong performance has been praised by project director Quỳnh, noting that Lizen aims to lay a layer of asphalt before the Lunar New Year of 2023.

Challenges in Material Supply and Weak Soil
Despite progress, Quỳnh acknowledged challenges such as the need for 5.54 million cubic meters of embankment material. While Thanh Hóa province has provided sufficient sources from approved quarries, some quarries near Nghi Sơn have depleted suitable materials. Currently, only the Đức Minh quarry meets the project's requirements, causing delays, particularly in Package XL03.

Additionally, unusual weather patterns, with heavier-than-usual rains, have slowed progress. Rising fuel and construction material prices have also posed difficulties for contractors.

There are also concerns about the weak soil conditions over 13.6 km of the route, requiring extensive stabilization work. However, all parties are committed to ensuring the project's timely and high-quality completion.

Contractor Thành Huy, responsible for Package XL01, highlighted that more than half of its 3.23 km route has weak soil, requiring an average of 320 days for stabilization. The company is accelerating work in areas unaffected by soil issues, following guidance from the Ministry of Transport to ensure there is ample time to handle any technical problems.

Steps for Speeding Up the Project
To expedite progress, the Project Management Unit 2 has requested Thanh Hóa authorities to review and increase the capacity of quarries, and fast-track legal procedures for remaining quarries. The unit has also requested the Ministry of Transport to coordinate with the Ministry of Construction to ensure timely announcements of construction material prices, so that contractors can adjust costs in line with market realities.

Source: Việt Hùng, Vietnam+