The administration of Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam has written to the Ministry of Transport and the Department for Roads of Vietnam proposing being allocated VND60 billion (US$2.4 million) to build the new Dakrong bridge to smooth a route connecting with coal mines in Laos.

The provincial People’s Committee has proposed sourcing the fund from the ministry’s urgent or backup capital reserves, the office of the provincial administration said on Tuesday.

The reinforced concrete bridge will serve as a vital link to Laos’ coal mines, which contain a total of one billion metric tons of coal, according to the provincial administration.

The backbone Western Ho Chi Minh Road connects La Lay International Border Gate in Dakrong District with National Highway 9.

The bridge is aimed at replacing the deteriorating Dakrong Bridge on the Western Ho Chi Minh Road, along which hundreds of trucks travel to transport coal from Laos to Vietnam through the border gate each day.

However, the current Dakrong Bridge, which was put into service in 2002, is at risk of collapse, leading to a restriction on vehicles’ payload.

The restriction has hindered the transportation of goods, while the deteriorating bridge poses potential risks to drivers and their cargo.

Meanwhile, coal mines in Laos’ Sekong and Salavan Provinces, located about 118 kilometers from the border gate, have an output of one billion metric tons of coal.

Due to its proximity to seaports, Laos relies on Quang Tri to export an estimated 20-30 million metric tons of coal per year.

As the number of vehicles using the bridge and border gate is expected to rise, the province proposed that the ministry allocate funds to build a new bridge to replace the deteriorating one, thereby meeting transportation demands, boosting socio-economic growth, and enhancing bilateral trade between Vietnam and Laos.

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