The Vietnam Road Department has approved a project for the repair andupgrade of bridges on national highways across the country.

Accordingto the department, there are about 163 bridges on 37 highways that needto be repaired, upgraded and widened to handle the volume of traffic.

Thetotal investment capital required for the project from the roadmaintenance fund was estimated to be 770 billion VND (35.3 million USD),the department said.

In the 2015-2017 period, 78 bridges will beupgraded and reinforced at a cost of 393.8 billion VND (18 millionUSD) that will come from the central road maintenance fund.

The upgrade and repair of the remaining 85 bridges will be done when the transport ministry allocates funds for it.

Meanwhile,HCM City's transport department has suggested to the municipalauthority that a new bridge should be built to replace the 90-year-oldNhi Thien Duong Bridge 1.

The condition of the old bridge has seriously deteriorated, and it cannot handle the volume of traffic.

Thenew bridge of the same design will cost an estimated 163 billion VND(roughly 7.4 million USD). Meanwhile, the old bridge will be upgradedand kept for show only, the department said.

The 1km-long NhiThien Duong Bridge 1 was built in 1925, across Doi Canal in District 8.The bridge links District 8 and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces.

The bridge, built in European style with green pillars, is an iconic structure for the local people.-VNA