Decision No. 622/QD-TTg dated May 17, 2009 of the Prime Minister ratifying the investment in the project for building the east-west avenue in Ho Chi Minh city

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.

- Renovating or rebuilding five existing bridges, namely:

+ Broadening Cha Va bridge.

+ Heightening Chu Y bridge with minimum clearance of 4.7m of the projected road surface above water.

+ Rebuilding Calmette bridge to assure passage of transport load of H30-XB80.

+ Rebuilding the access road to Mong bridge.

+ Rebuilding Khanh Hoi bridge to ensure a clearance of 3.5m.

- Building 5 interchanges, namely:

+ Interchange with National Highway 1A.

+ Interchange at Cha Va bridge,

+ Interchange at Chu Y bridge,

+ Interchange at Calmette bridge,

+ Interchange on Hanoi motorway.

The designing of the junctions with the existing roads must proceed from the concrete traffic needs at each location and the phased investment plans, the structure must be durable and ensure architectural beauty.

- Road toll station: One toll collection station shall be built on the tunnel opening in Thu Thiem.

- Other auxiliary works include:

+ Protection embankment along the canal.

+ Cargo and passenger landing stages along the canal: In replacement of those which have been occupied by the project for road building.

+ Pedestrian bridges: 7-10 new bridges shall be built and 3 existing bridges shall be upgraded, viz. Binh Tay, Chu U and Nha May Ruou bridges.

+ The underground works shall be removed.

+ Lighting and signal systems.

+ An underground ditch shall be dug for installation of electric cables, water and underground communication facilities.

4. Component projects:

After the detailed design is approved, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shall determine the list of the component projects suited to the management of the project, then submit it to the Prime Minister for decision.

5. Investment capital demands and sources:

- Total investment capital is estimated at about 67.055 billion Japanese Yen, equivalent to 8,101.410 billion VND (at the rate of 1 USD = 13,894 VND = 115 Yen).

- Total official investment capital shall be determined after completion of the detailed design and ratification of total cost estimates.

- Capital sources: Loans from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) and reciprocal capital from the budget of Ho Chi Minh City.

6. Organization of implementation:

a/ Investor: The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

b/ Investor’s representative: The Managing Board of the Project for investment in building the East-West Avenue of Ho Chi Minh City.

c/ Execution schedule: Construction shall start in 2002 and complete in 2005.

7. Mode of implementation:

- Detailed design consultancy and preparing dossier for bidding: international bidding.

- Supervision consultancy: international bidding.

- Construction and installation: international competitive bidding.

- Construction and installation of infrastructure for 6 resettlement areas: domestic competitive bidding.

8. Technology transfer: The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shall coordinate with related branches in drawing up the plan and concrete measures to receive transferred technology in construction, installation and operation of the tunnel by the Vietnamese side.

Article 2.- Assignment of responsibilities:

1. The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City is assigned with:

- Deciding the technical plan in the process of detailed designing on the basis of studying the notices of the State Evaluation Council made in Document No.41/TDNN of April 28,2000. It shall have to reach agreement with the Ministry of Communications and Transport and the Ministry of Construction on the concrete technical plans, especially those concerning the tunnel, the junctions, the clearance of the works... so as to choose the rational plan, use the fund economically and raise the efficiency of the investment.

- Determining the total investment capital according to the ratified design in line with the real price platform and with the other expenditures according to State regulations and regimes, and approving the evaluation as currently prescribed in order to submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval as basis for the drawing up of the bidding plan.

- Coordinating with the Ministry of Defense in handling questions related to the defense works in the project area.

- Taking responsibility for the compensation for ground clearance and the resettlement work in order to ensure the time schedule of the project.

- Directing the execution of the project in conformity with current regulations.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Vietnam State Bank, the General Land Administra-tion and the related branches shall carry out their assignments according to their functions and coordinate with the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in the process of negotiations to borrow capital and execution of the project according to current regulations of the State, international practices and the pledges on loan borrowing and debt payment.

Article 3.- The ministers, the heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the President of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the heads of related branches shall have to implement this Decision.

PRIME MINISTER




Phan Van Khai