Garbage overflows along Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet highways

Plastic bottles, water cans, cake boxes, nylon bags, etc. were left by spring travelers on both sides of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay highways.

In the days after Tet, the number of cars traveling on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressways was very high. Many drivers stopped to rest and use the restroom at emergency stops after eating and drinking, leaving behind a large amount of trash.

According to reporters, along the two highways through Binh Thuan province, people have left bottles, cans, cake boxes, nylon bags, etc. on both sides of the highway, especially at the emergency stop areas of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet highway.

Garbage overflows along Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay highways photo 1

Plastic bottles and nylon bags left by spring travelers along the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet highway (Photo: Hoang Binh).

Mr. Le Van Thuong (32 years old, living in Tan Phu district, Ho Chi Minh City) returned to Ho Chi Minh City from his hometown in Phu Yen, traveling on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet highway. When he stopped at the emergency stop area in Ham Thuan Bac district, he was upset with the huge amount of garbage.

"Not only plastic bottles and nylon bags, but also at rest stops, the stench from wastewater rising in the hot sun is very unpleasant. In the absence of rest stops and low public awareness, littering still occurs," Mr. Thuong shared.

Speaking to Dan Tri, Mr. Pham Quoc Huy, Director of Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway Project, said that the investment progress of the rest stop section on this route has a shortlist of investors who will participate in the PPP bidding for this section. Binh Thuan province is also speeding up the handover of land to build the rest stop. However, it is expected that the project will not be completed until the first quarter of 2025.

When asked why there was such a big difference between the opening time of the expressway and the operation of the rest stops, Mr. Huy explained that this was a common problem for the North-South expressway projects in the 2017-2020 period, not just the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressway. The reason stemmed from the investor selection mechanism and the slow agreement on the investment scale, citing the rest stops on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet route, which were initially planned to be 1 hectare wide, but the Ministry of Transport later recalculated and adjusted them to 5 hectares.

Garbage overflows along Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay highways photo 2

People entering the highway pick up plastic bottles at the highway emergency stop (Photo: Hoang Binh).

On the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet section, there are 2 rest stops at Km 144+560 Phong Phu commune, Tuy Phong district and Km 205+602 Ham Tri commune, Ham Thuan Bac district. Each location has 2 stations symmetrically in two directions.

The Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway is over 100km long, passing through 4 districts (Ham Thuan Nam, Ham Thuan Bac, Bac Binh and Tuy Phong) of Binh Thuan. The main route has 4 lanes and has been put into operation since May 19. This expressway has no rest stops yet.

Original link: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/rac-tran-ngap-doc-cao-toc-vinh-hao-phan-thiet-va-phan-thiet-dau-giay-20240220165817493.htm