Transport authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have banned trucks and automobiles with over 16 seats from traveling on the Nguyen Huu Canh overpass, which is sagging after the construction of a sewer system broke a cable on its main span.

The Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center recently detected the sagging on the 55.5-meter-long main span of the Nguyen Huu Canh overpass, which is a major link for travelers from Thu Duc City and Binh Thanh District to the heart of the city.

Particularly, a girder of the leading span is no longer resting on but separated from the bridge bearing by an average of three to five centimeters.

Cracks also appeared on the girder.

A further inspection conducted by the Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center discovered that the prestressed cable bundle of the overpass, which is located 1.8m below the ground, was cut at its intersection with a sewer system that was completed in March 2021.

The city’s traffic department, which is in charge of repairing Nguyen Huu Canh Street, including the construction of the sewer system, takes full responsibility for the incident, according to the Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center. 

The department is now subject to urgently inspecting and making a report on the damage to the underground prestressed cable on the main span of the overpass, as well as preparing a plan to ensure the safety of the work in order to avoid the risk of serious damage and collapse.

The Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City has stopped all trucks and automobiles with over 16 seats from running on the Nguyen Huu Canh overpass until further notice.

After its inauguration in 2002, the 618.29m-long and 12.7m-wide structure was repaired once in 2017, after which the bridge has been actively maintained.

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