Sai Gon Bridge needs $2.3m makeover

HCM City’s Sai Gon Bridge needs a $2.3m renovation, the city Department of Transport said following an inspection which found alarming signs of damage.

After a hole appeared on the bridge surface last October, the department began an inspection.

The inspection report released last week says both the main and approach spans have developed serious problems.

The expansion joints in the three main spans are damaged, allowing water to run down to the girders and rivets, causing them to rust.

Water from the surface of the bridge has also caused rust in the vertical and horizontal girders.

The bridge’s deck has many chinks while the plastic concrete is damaged and cracked in many places.

The approach spans suffer from the same problems.

Tran Quang Phuong, the department director, said the cost of repairing the bridge was estimated at VND43.8 billion ($2.3 million).

Its entire surface would be refurbished with reinforced concrete, girder ends connected, plastic concrete replaced with polymer concrete, the surface painted with water-proof paint, and expansion joints replaced.

During the first major repair done in June 1998 by Freyssinet Viet Nam, the bridge was also widened to 24 meters at a cost of 54 million francs then using funds from the French official development assistance.

The bridge now has four lanes for cars, two lanes for motorbikes, and sidewalk for pedestrians.

The 989.12-meter Sai Gon Bridge was designed by Johnson, Drake and Piper Co and built in April 1961.

Viet Nam News

Tags: Sai Gon Bridge, Vietnam Infrastructure, Vietnam bridges, Vietnam transportation