A toll bridge in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap that collapsed on May 31 has been reopened to traffic after a surprisingly speedy repair that lasted less than a week.

Tan Nghia Bridge, situated in the namesake commune in Cao Lanh District, gave way on May 31 when a truck weighing at least twice the bridge’s weight limit traveled on the structure.

The truck was carrying cassavas with a combined vehicle and cargo weight of more than 17 metric tons.

The 11-year-old bridge was designed to sustain a maximum weight of only eight metric tons, authorities said.

The collapse sent the middle span of the bridge falling into a water canal underneath.

The Tan Nghia Bridge in Dong Thap Province, Vietnam is pictured after its collapse on May 31, 2019. Photo: Ngoc Tai / Tuoi Tre

Works to rebuild the bridge began almost immediately and the structure was reopened to traffic on Thursday, six days after the accident.

For the moment, only two-wheeled vehicles and pedestrians are allowed on the new bridge as authorities are recalculating its weight limit, according to the transport department of Dong Thap.

On Friday morning, workers could be seen reinstalling communications cable lines damaged in the May accident.

Workers reinstall damaged communications cable lines on the Tan Nghia Bridge in Dong Thap Province, Vietnam on June 7, 2019. Photo: Ngoc Tai / Tuoi Tre

Stretching 150 meters over the Thap Muoi Canal in Dong Thap, the Tan Nghia Bridge opened to traffic in December 2007.

Its VND5 billion (US$215,000) construction was carried out under a BOT (build-operate-transfer) contract.

A tollgate had been operated along with the bridge for over 11 years, before local authorities decided to buy the station from the developer in February, which put an end to the toll collection.

The bridge’s collapse forced locals to make a detour that is six kilometers farther to get from one side of the bridge to another.

A traffic sign prohibiting four-wheeled vehicles from going on the repaired Tan Nghia Bridge in Dong Thap Province, Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Tai / Tuoi Tre

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