THE PRIME MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT
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SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness
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No: 622/QD-TTg
Hanoi, July 05, 2000 
 
DECISION
RATIFYING THE INVESTMENT IN THE PROJECT FOR BUILDING THE EAST-WEST AVENUE IN HO CHI MINH CITY
THE PRIME MINISTER
Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government of September 30, 1992;
Considering the proposal of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in Report No. 382/UB-DA of January 31, 2000 and the opinion of the State Council for Evaluation of Investment Projects in Official Dispatch No.41/TDNN of April 28, 2000,
DECIDES:
Article 1.- To invest in the project for building the East-West Avenue in Ho Chi Minh City with the following main contents:
1. Location of construction:
The projected avenue shall go through the territory of Binh Chanh rural district, District 6, District 8, District 5, District 1 and District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City. The staring point of the avenue shall join National Highway 1A (at Binh Chanh rural district) and the ending point shall join the Hanoi motorway (District 2).
2. Scope of project:
Total length of the projected avenue shall be 21.8km, comprising the following sections:
- Section from National Highway 1A shall cross village road No.5, An Duong Vuong road, cross Lo Gom canal and link with the beginning of Tran Van Kieu road, about 4.9km long;
- Section from the beginning of Tran Van Kieu road (along Tau Hu canal) to Ham Tu road, links with Ben Chuong Duong road (along Ben Nghe canal) up to Calmette bridge, about 8.2km long;
- The Thu Thiem tunnel starting from beneath Calmette bridge, shall cross Saigon river into Thu Thiem, links with the beginning of road T13 in the urban plan of Thu Thiem. The tunnel, about 1,970 meters long, shall include an underground tunnel of about 380m, a dug tunnel of about 770m and two access roads to both ends of the tunnel, about 820m;
- Section from the tunnel opening in Thu Thiem stretching along Road T13 in the plan up to inter-provincial road 25 at Giong Ong To and following inter-provincial road 25 to Cat Lai T-junction at the Hanoi motorway (District 2), about 8.7km long.
3. Design standard and size of main construction:
a/ Design standard:
- Design process and standard: application of Vietnamese process and norms with reference to the standard of AASHTO (the United States), Japan and other advanced countries. Where Vietnamese standards are not available, foreign design standards shall be used.
- Design frequency P = 1%.
- Design speed in the tunnel and along the canal is 60km/h, design speed on the avenue on the Thu Thiem side is 80 km/h.
- Design load: for convoy of standard H30-XB80 TCVN (equivalent to 125% (HS20-44) of standard AASHTO of the United States).
- Clearances of the constructions on the surface of the road shall be 4.5m high. Clearance and navigability of the bridges shall conform to the standards of constructions on urban rivers and canals.
- Structure of bridges: pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams, reinforced concrete pier foundations.
- Traffic lane 3.5m large with separating strip between the two directions, at least 4m for the road and 0.8m for the tunnel. On land, there must be pathways for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians at least 4m large separated from the motor traffic lane by a separating strip at least 2,5m large including the edges
- Design standard for tunnel with maximum lengthwise inclination of 4% so as to ensure passage of motorbikes.
- Road surface must be at least 60cm higher than the annual highest tide level.
- Structure of road surface is asphalt concrete on cement reinforced macadam layers, macadam or other local materials.
b/ Size of construction:
- Tunnel: useful cross-section of tunnel enough for 6 vehicle lanes (2 x 3 x 3.5m) with separating strip of 0.8m and two escapes of 2m x 2m on either side, together with communications facilities, ventilation, lighting, drainage... to ensure safety for mechanized means including motorcycles moving at design speed. Structure of tunnel wall shall be in reinforced concrete, built by the method of underground tunnel in the middle of the river and dug-in tunnel or open tunnel at both ends connecting to the bank, depending on the height of the tunnel roof.
- The road section along the canal (from Lo Gom canal to the opening of Thu Thiem tunnel in front of Calmette bridge): 6 motorized vehicle lanes (3 lanes each way), taking into account the entry control solutions in order to ensure traffic safety and carriage ability, including the building of separate passages for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians on either side. Minimum road span [2 x (2 + 4 + 2.5 + 3 x 3.5) + 4] = 42m.
- Road from National Highway 1A to Lo Gom canal: 6 lanes for motorized vehicles with land spared for expansion of the road in the future (entry gates to the city). Road span shall be 60m.
- Road joining Thu Thiem tunnel to Hanoi motorway: 6 lanes for motorized vehicles with land spared for development of parallel road in the future. Road span shall be 100m.
- New bridges to be built: Nuoc Len, Rach Cay, Lo Gom, Quoi Duoc, Ba Do, Rach Ngon En, Ca Tre Lon and Ca Tre Nho bridges.
The bridge span must be large enough for 6 lanes of motorized vehicles with a separating strip in the middle 0.8m wide and a separate passage for non motorized vehicles and pedestrians [2 x (0.3 + 4 + 0.8 + 3 x 3.5) + 0.8] = 32m. Care should be taken to assure architectural factors during designing and building in order to ensure urban aesthetic.