Project to renovate and upgrade National Highway 14E: Still many obstacles

Contractor of asphalt concrete pavement, section passing through Phuoc Son district (old). Photo: CONG TU

Speed up construction

Over the past few months, the consortium member of the XD01 package for the section of km15+270 - km40+00 (via Thang Binh - old Hiep Duc) is Dong Thuan Ha Company Limited, which has arranged engineers and workers to stay close to the construction site to take advantage of the dry weather for construction. During the recent April 30 and May 1 holidays, the contractor did not take a day off, both staying on duty to ensure traffic and paving the first layer of asphalt concrete at the section where the last layer of crushed stone was completed.

Engineer Dang Van Hoa, Construction Team Leader of Dong Thuan Ha Company Limited, said that the company is in charge of constructing a total of 13.7km of the XD01 package. At this time, the contractor has completed 11.7km of the second layer of crushed stone; and 11km of the first layer of crushed stone.

On the first layer of crushed stone (the top layer of the roadbed), the unit laid asphalt concrete with a length of 10km. The 2km length is stuck in a “leopard skin” style, the contractor is digging, filling the foundation, and making drainage ditches.

Construction of crushed stone layer for roadbed section through Dong Duong commune (old Thang Binh district). Photo: CONG TU

Mr. Que Hai Trung, Director of the Project Management Board for the renovation and upgrading of National Highway 14E (under Project Management Board 4, Vietnam Road Administration) informed that the total length of the project is 71.38km. The project passes through the communes of Thang Binh, Dong Duong (former Thang Binh district), Viet An, Hiep Duc, Phuoc Tra (former Hiep Duc district), Phuoc Hiep, Kham Duc (former Phuoc Son district).

At this time, localities have handed over 68.9km of land (reaching 96.52%); Phuoc Son district (old) alone completed site clearance in April 2025.

During this dry season, Project Management Board 4 requested the joint venture contractors of the 3 construction packages including XD01, XD02 and XD03 to mobilize maximum human resources, machinery and equipment. Accordingly, the human resources including 55 engineers, 223 workers (excluding machine operators) deployed 57 construction teams. The Board mobilized 15 officers and engineers of the unit to directly operate at the construction site.

By July 27, contractors had constructed 52.1km of crushed stone layer 2; 44.1km of crushed stone layer 1; and 31.5km of asphalt concrete layer 1.

Regarding the old Dak Mi 1 bridge at km85+383 that had an incident, the Ministry of Construction has agreed to rebuild it, and the investor is organizing the selection of a contractor for construction.

Land acquisition issues

The Minister of Construction has requested the investor (Vietnam Road Administration) to urgently direct the construction and completion of the National Highway 14E project by the end of 2025, putting it into operation to promote investment efficiency and in line with the public investment disbursement plan for 2025.

A section of the route passing through the headquarters of the Dong Duong Commune Party Committee has been paved with layer 1 asphalt concrete. Photo: CONG TU

However, the planned progress had to be adjusted many times due to the influence of many factors, especially the prolonged land clearance problem.

Project Management Board 4 said that Thang Binh commune has only handed over 3.37/4.13km of land length (reaching 80.33%). The relocation of electricity, water and telecommunication systems did not meet the set schedule.

The most worrying point of the project is the railway overpass, where 48 households have received money and committed to handing over the land, but in reality, only 24 households have handed over. The cases that have not been handed over are because people are waiting to receive resettlement land and resettlement land use right certificates. In addition, within the railway overpass area, there are 6 households that have not received money; 5 households have not approved the compensation plan.

Viet An commune has handed over 10.78/11.071km of land (reaching 97.37%). However, access to the construction site of the Viet An bypass is facing obstacles due to 6 households, including 5 resettled households and 1 who is suing about land prices.

Hiep Duc commune currently has 23 households, of which 13 households have approved the plan but have not yet paid.

Heavy rains make it difficult to dig and fill the roadbed. Photo: CONG TU

Mr. Le Duc Loc, Director of Project Management Board 4, shared that recently, due to the implementation of the two-level government model, the appraisal and approval of the remaining compensation plans have been delayed. Along with that, the compensation plans have been approved but the money cannot be withdrawn to pay the people, because there are no specific instructions from the city for the units that act as investors in compensation and site clearance.

The weather is also not favorable for the construction process. According to data from hydrological stations along the route, from the beginning of 2025 until now, the area through National Highway 14E has had 125 rainy days and only 77 sunny days. On the contrary, the project is a large construction site located outdoors, so when it rains, it will be impossible to fill the ground, lay asphalt concrete and many other construction items.

Another obstacle that causes difficulties for contractors is the high price of construction materials. Mr. Le Duc Loc said that the price of aggregate in the package is 300 thousand VND/m ³ , but has increased to 380 thousand VND/m ^3. In particular, the price of sand in the package is 250 thousand VND/m ³ , but has increased by more than 700 thousand VND/m ³ .

Sand prices have tripled, and access to this material is not easy, which also affects project progress.

Project Management Board 4 said that the National Highway 14E renovation and upgrade project is part of the medium-term public investment plan for the period 2022 - 2025. The last months of the year often have heavy rain, the weather is not favorable for the construction of the roadbed and surface. In order for the project to be completed on schedule, the investor's representative requested the City People's Committee to pay attention and direct relevant units and localities to hand over the entire cleared site before August 30, 2025; and the railway overpass area before July 30, 2025.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/du-an-cai-tao-nang-cap-quoc-lo-14e-van-con-nhieu-tro-ngai-3298362.html