Underpass to link two riverside roads along Dong Nai River

The Dong Nai Riverside Road is opened to technical traffic and put into operation in early 2026. Photo: Pham Tung

The planned underpass is expected to eliminate the current detour beneath Hoa An Bridge, making travel between the two riverside routes faster and more convenient.

A more convenient transport link

In mid-January 2026, the 5.2-kilometer Dong Nai Riverside Road was officially opened to technical traffic and put into operation. Running along the Dong Nai River in Tran Bien Ward, the project is one of the city's key infrastructure developments. The new road has not only enhanced the city's transport network but has also transformed the urban landscape of Tran Bien Ward, the administrative center of Dong Nai City. It has laid the foundation for a scenic riverside corridor that is gradually taking shape.

According to the master plan, once completed, the new riverside road will connect with Nguyen Van Tri Street, forming a continuous route along the eastern bank of the Dong Nai River. In addition to enhancing the waterfront landscape, the route will help reduce traffic volume on Huynh Van Nghe Street. However, the connection between the two roads is hindered by the Hoa An Bridge's existing design. As there is no direct connection, vehicles traveling between Nguyen Van Tri Street and Dong Nai Riverside Road must make a detour beneath Hoa An Bridge. Therefore, many local residents are looking forward to the early construction of an underpass beneath Hoa An Bridge to connect the two roads.

Nguyen Van Tuan, a resident of Tan Thanh neighborhood in Tran Bien Ward, said that while the existing route through the roundabout remains functional, a direct underpass would significantly improve convenience by eliminating the need for the detour.

Another resident, Nguyen Manh Hung of Tran Bien Ward, noted that the direct connection would not only facilitate travel but also create a seamless riverside corridor, enhancing the city's urban landscape.

Construction targeted for early 2027

In late 2025, the former Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee (now the Dong Nai City People's Committee) approved the Hoa An Bridge Underpass Project. The project is designed to connect Nguyen Van Tri Street with Dong Nai Riverside Road, ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow between the two routes while completing the city's urban road network in Tran Bien Ward.

Once completed, the underpass beneath Hoa An Bridge will connect the Dong Nai Riverside Road with Nguyen Van Tri Street. Photo: Pham Tung

The project has a total length of 394 meters, of which the closed tunnel section spans 44 meters, the open tunnel section stretches 350 meters, and the cross-section is 11.5 meters wide, accommodating 2 motor vehicle lanes and 2 non-motorized vehicle lanes, alongside sidewalks (combined to serve as an operations and maintenance access path). Along with this, the project will also construct approach roads at both ends of the underpass with a length of 148 meters; a side road alongside the tunnel running from Nguyen Van Tri Street to the intersection of Cach Mang Thang Tam and Nguyen Ai Quoc streets with a length of approximately 225 meters, as well as a technical infrastructure system.

Nguyen Ton Trong, Director of the Project Management Board Region 1, the unit assigned as the project's investor, said that under the approval decision, the project must be implemented within a maximum of four years from the allocation of funding. The unit is therefore focusing on accelerating its implementation. In 2026, priority will be given to site clearance and the completion of investment procedures. "For this project, we aim to begin construction in the first quarter of 2027," Trong said.

The project is estimated to require VND10 billion in compensation, support and resettlement costs, while construction costs are estimated at more than VND236 billion.