A ceremony was held on November 25 in Lao Cai city to start the construction of the Giang Dong bridge, the fourth of its kind in the locality to span the Red River.

The six-span bridge, 298 metres long and 14 metres wide, is designed to withstand an earthquake up to a magnitude 7 on the Richter scale.

The total investment for the first phase of the project is 167 billion VND (7.9 million USD).

The project’s constructor, Quyet Tien Investment and Construction Company, is expected to finish the work within two years.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Vinh said the project will not only help his locality develop transport infrastructure and spur socio-economic growth but also ease traffic congestion.-VNA