Building a bridge to improve living conditions

Introduction Mekong Delta Region, Vietnam Construction of My Thuan Bridge Impact Conclusion Introduction  The My Thuan Bridge, located in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam, was completed in May 2000. Built with Australian assistance, the My Thuan Bridge represents an architectural expression of the friendship and co-operation between the peoples and governments of Vietnam and Australia. The 1.5 km cable-stay bridge, which rises to a height of almost 40 metres as it crosses the Tien Giang River, is designed to withstand the region's severe monsoons and volatile seismic conditions. It provides a crucial link in National Highway 1 for the 16 million people living in the Delta region, giving reliable year-round access for this vast area to the markets in Ho Chi Minh City 125 kilometres to the north east and beyond. Pedestrian traffic on the My Thuan Bridge on its opening day (viewed from the north bank) Source: AusAID/Hans Kempf Mekong Delta Region in Vietnam The 4,500 kilometre long Mekong River is the tenth longest river in the world, flowing through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia from its source in Tibet to its mouth in Vietnam, where it flows into the South China Sea (see figure 1). There are main two branches of the Mekong River in Vietnam, the Tien Giang and the Hau Giang. Map of South-East Asia showing political divisions and the Mekong River The Tien Giang is the main branch of the Mekong River as it flows through Vietnam. It is an international shipping channel used by vessels moving to and from Cambodia. The Hau Giang, which is 50 kilometres south of the Tien Giang, is the second major branch of the Mekong River in Vietnam (see figure 2). The two rivers are generally between 0.5-1 kilometre wide. Map of the Mekong Delta showing the Tien Giang and Hau Giang branches and the location of the My Thuan Bridge The Mekong River is the lifeblood of southern Vietnam. It has created and sustained the fertile Mekong Delta region that covers an area of 39,550 square kilometres, equal to 12 percent of the total land surface area of Vietnam. The relief of the Mekong Delta is flat and low-lying, typically being less than one metre above sea level with a widespread network of distributaries and canals that covers much of the area. Prior to building the My Thuan Bridge aging ferries such as this one were the only way to cross the wide Mekong at My Thuan. The bridge helps farmers get their produce to markets in Ho Chi Minh City more quickly. Source: AusAID/Jacinta Cubis Construction of the My Thuan Bridge Australian companies, with support from Vietnamese enterprises, prepared the feasibility study for the project, undertook detailed engineering design for the bridge, acted as lead contractors for construction, and supervised construction performance. Vietnamese companies undertook 45% of the construction of the bridge through subcontracts. The Australian Government contributed two-thirds of the cost of $95 million and the Vietnamese Government the remainder. The strong relationship between, and the hard work of, the 300 Australians and the 1,500 Vietnamese employed on the bridge's planning and construction left an enviable record. In addition to being on budget, construction of the project was completed in 33 months, three months ahead of schedule. The safety record was exemplary, with no deaths or serious injuries, and days lost due to lesser injuries considerably less than international experience on similar projects. An aerial shot of the My Thuan Bridge with the south bank of the Tien Giang in the foreground Training was instrumental in achieving this record. Both formal teaching programs and on-the-job training were conducted. Over 500 construction workers and 60 engineers participated in formal training in bridge design and planning, management and supervision of the construction of the bridge. Impact of the bridge Transport impact of the bridge Water transport plays an important role in the Mekong Delta, particularly for the movement of bulky, low value freight such as rice and construction materials. Road transport is generally more suitable for the movement of higher value goods and for passenger travel because it is faster and more efficient. The building of the My Thuan bridge has resulted in the following benefits for road transport: an average saving in travel time of over 30 minutes compared with travel by the ferry a reduced travelling distance of nearly one kilometre reduced vehicle operating costs due to shorter and better travel conditions reduced damage to freight that occurs during delays and boarding and alighting from the ferry, particularly important for the movement of fruit and vegetables In 2002, an average of 87,000 people, 13,100 tonnes of freight, about 300 pedestrian and 300 cyclists, crossed the My Thuan Bridge each day. This compared with the 23,000 people and 4,100 tonnes of freight that crossed the Tien Giang at My Thuan in 1994. Economic impact of the bridge The economy of the Mekong Delta is markedly different to the remainder of Vietnam. It has a heavy dependence on agriculture and industry is less developed. There is considerable opportunity to increase the standard of living in the region with the production of higher value agricultural items through horticulture, aquaculture, animal husbandry, further industrial development related to agriculture and food processing and the development of tourism. Table 1: The region at a glance Item Ho Chi Minh City Mekong Delta 1999 2002   1999 2002 1. Area (1000 ha) 210 210   3,961 3,961 2. Population   Total (1000) 5,000 5,449   16,100 16,762 Pop. Density (no/ha) 23.8 26.0   4.1 4.2 3. GDP   GDP/capita (NND m.) 13.2 17.7   4.1 5.3 Agriculture (%) 2 2   49 51 Industry (%) 42 46   14 20 Other (%) 56 52   37 29 Total (%) 100 100   100 100 4. Agriculture   Cultivated area (1000 ha) 107 71   4,415 4,387 Area (1000 ha) n/a 56   n/a 3,780 Output (1000 tonnes) 226 186   15,338 17,803 5. Transport     Freight (m.tonnes/km) 551 236   1,797 184   Passengers (m.pass/km) 2,140 n/a   5,789 n/a Sources: My Thuan Bridge Draft Benefits Study (unpublished), AusAID, March 2000 My Thuan Bridge Monitoring Program: Final Report, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Draft August 2003) There has been considerable economic growth in the provinces of the Mekong Delta over the last decade. This growth has been sustained in recent years, notwithstanding negative external influences such as the Asian financial crisis, the rise in international terrorism, and slowing world economic growth. The improved transport situation that resulted from opening of the My Thuan Bridge can reasonably be expected to have contributed to economic growth in the Mekong Delta. Surprisingly the more distant parts of the Mekong Delta have grown faster than the region between the Tien Giang and Hau Giang, where the immediate impact of the My Thuan Bridge might have been expected to be most substantial. It seems likely that continued development of complementary infrastructure and community services will be needed to support growth in these inter-river provinces. A number of industrial zones have been established by the national and provincial governments in the Mekong Delta, including three within 15 kilometres of the My Thuan Bridge. Agreements have been signed with domestic and foreign companies for the development of more than 70 hectares in these zones, including food processing, handicrafts, pottery and building material manufacturing enterprises. Provincial governments in the region of the My Thuan Bridge are committed to taking advantage of the better accessibility offered by the bridge to improve the economic and social life of their communities. In addition, there has been a huge growth in the number of businesses located along the roads that lead to the bridge. The number of businesses on these roads within 2 kilometres of the bridge has risen from 160 in July 2001 (and probably a considerably lower number prior to opening of the bridge) to 550 in January 2003. Social impact of the bridge While the former My Thuan ferry service imposed substantial delays on travellers, a considerable local economy developed to serve waiting vehicles. As part of the My Thuan Bridge project, new markets were constructed at Hoa Hung and Tan Hoi, in the vicinity of the former ferry landings, to provide alternative employment opportunities for the businesses and vendors who had previously provided services to motorists waiting to use the ferry. Vendors relocating to the new markets faced a difficult first six months or so. However, conditions have continued to improve since as the new markets became established. The former ferry service was terminated when the My Thuan Bridge opened and staff who were previously employed with the ferry service were redeployed to the Road and Bridge Repair and Maintenance Company. Elimination of delays at ferry landings has reduced the loitering that occurred at them. This has resulted in an improvement in personal security for people living in the vicinity of the landings. It has also reduced the opportunity for spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The presence of the bridge has improved access to social services because of the ease of crossing the river. The toll for using the bridge is also considerably less than applied with the ferry, especially for motorcycles. Pedestrians and cyclists, who previously had to pay to cross the Tien Giang by ferry, can now cross the bridge without charge. Environmental impact of the bridge A major beneficial effect of the bridge has been removal of the situation in which vehicles were previously involved in low speed, stop-start driving while queuing, boarding and alighting ferries, and the high levels of pollution that resulted. Water quality in the Tien Giang near My Thuan, as in other major river reaches in the Mekong Delta, is polluted with human waste and is unsafe to drink without treatment. This was exacerbated at My Thuan prior to the building of the bridge by the large amount of human activity in the vicinity of the ferry landings, disposal of personal waste while crossing the river on the ferry, and leakage of oil and fuel from ferries. It is notable that aquaculture has been successfully developed in the vicinity of the former ferry landings since the ferry service was terminated. The operation of this aquaculture implies better water quality at the site of the My Thuan Bridge. Air and noise pollution have decreased since the opening of the bridge however these have been off-set by increases resulting from the major increase in traffic. Conclusion The Governments of Australia and Vietnam implemented a three-year program to monitor the impact of the bridge to ensure the sustainability of both the bridge and the benefits that it was expected to produce. It has indicated that the My Thuan Bridge is performing better than was forecast at the time of the Feasibility Study, and which provided the basis for the decision to proceed with the project.