9 iconic bridges revitalize Hanoi

In addition to the Long Bien Bridge built during the French colonial period, Hanoi has constructed eight more bridges over the Red River after the war, connecting districts and neighboring provinces, contributing to the capital's socio-economic development.

The Red River runs through Hanoi for 163 km, making up about one-third of its length within Vietnamese territory.

Prior to 1954, the Long Bien Bridge, built by the French in 1898 and inaugurated in 1902, was the only structure connecting the river's two banks.

The Long Bien Bridge spans 2,290 meters, with an additional 896 meters of approaching roads. It consists of 19 steel spans supported by 20 pillars, each over 40 meters high, including foundations, and features stone-built approach roads.

The bridge has a central railway track, flanked by motorized traffic lanes and pedestrian paths. The vehicle lanes are 2.6 meters wide, while the pedestrian paths are 0.4 meters wide.

The construction of bridges over the Red River became crucial for Hanoi's development. However, after gaining its independence in 1954, the city, like the rest of the country, faced challenges due to economic embargoes.

In 1974, with support from the Soviet Union, Vietnam began building the Thang Long Bridge, which was completed in 1985. Located on Hanoi's Ring Road No. 3, the bridge connects Dong Anh District and Bac Tu Liem District. Upon its completion, it was one of the largest structures in Southeast Asia.

The Thang Long Bridge is a dual-purpose road and rail bridge, featuring a 3.1 km-long roadway and a 5.5 km-long railway. The upper deck has four lanes for motorized traffic and two pedestrian paths, while the lower deck accommodates two-way train traffic and two lanes for rudimentary vehicles.

Construction of the Chuong Duong Bridge began in 1983 and was completed in 1985, connecting Hoan Kiem and Long Bien districts. It was the first major bridge entirely designed and built by Vietnamese engineers.

The engineers repurposed some steel beams and girders from the Thang Long Bridge to construct the Chuong Duong Bridge, which consists of 21 steel spans.

The bridge spans 1.2 km in length and is 19.5 meters wide, featuring four traffic lanes—two central lanes for cars and two side lanes for motorcycles.

The Trung Ha Bridge crosses the Da River near its confluence with the Red River and is part of the plan to integrate it into the Red River bridge system. Located on National Highway 32, it connects Ba Vi District in Hanoi with Tam Nong District in Phu Tho Province.

The bridge is 743 meters long and 11 meters wide, comprising 14 spans made of pre-stressed reinforced concrete. Construction began in 1999, and the bridge was inaugurated in 2002.

Construction of the Thanh Tri Bridge began in 2002, and it was put into use in 2006. The bridge features six traffic lanes, a width of over 33 meters, and a length of 3 km.

At the time of its completion, Thanh Tri was the longest and widest pre-stressed reinforced concrete bridge in Vietnam. Along with the Nhat Tan Bridge, it is one of two Red River bridges constructed using Japanese ODA loans.

Connecting Hai Ba Trung and Long Bien districts, the Vinh Tuy Bridge began construction in 2005, with phase 1 inaugurated in 2010. The bridge spans 3.7 km and has a cross-sectional width of 19.25 meters in its first phase, featuring eight lanes and a pre-stressed reinforced concrete box girder structure.

Phase 2 of the Vinh Tuy Bridge was opened in 2023, easing traffic congestion on the Chuong Duong Bridge. This phase was constructed using cantilever casting technology, achieving a record cantilever span of 135 meters, surpassing the 130-meter span of Thanh Tri Bridge.

The Vinh Thinh Bridge crosses the Red River along National Highway 2C, connecting Son Tay District in Hanoi with Vinh Tuong District in Vinh Phuc Province. Construction began in December 2011, and the bridge opened to traffic in June 2014.

As the longest river-crossing bridge in Vietnam, it spans a total of 5.4 km, including a 4.4 km-long main span and 1 km of approach roads. The bridge is 16.5 meters wide, featuring four traffic lanes and a maximum speed limit of 80 kph.

The Nhat Tan Bridge, featuring eight lanes, began construction in March 2009 and was inaugurated in January 2015. It is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam, spanning 3.9 km and connecting Dong Anh District to Tay Ho District.

The Nhat Tan Bridge consists of six cable-stayed spans supported by five diamond-shaped towers, symbolizing Hanoi's five ancient gates. Unlike typical cable-stayed bridges, which usually have two towers and three spans, Nhat Tan is equipped with a dynamic lighting system that can change colors across the five towers or adapt to specific days and occasions.

The Van Lang Bridge (Viet Tri - Ba Vi Bridge) connects Hanoi with Phu Tho Province, located northwest of the capital, linking National Highway 32 and National Highway 32C. The project was developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.

Construction of the Van Lang Bridge began in August 2016 and was completed in October 2018. The bridge spans 1.5 km and is 12 meters wide, featuring two lanes for motorized traffic and two mixed-use lanes. It is constructed from reinforced concrete and pre-stressed reinforced concrete.