According to local media, investors had already dismissed this option as too costly. And Nguyen Dinh Bach, general director of Hai Van Tunnel Management and Operation Corporation disagreed with safety concerns, saying that even after the emergency lane is turned into another main tunnel, there would be ‘no hindrance’ to rescue activity as the current main tunnel and the new one would still be connected by cross passages after the upgrade.
The existing tunnel opened in 2005. The single bore runs 6.3km at 12m in diameter but has a safety and maintenance tunnel alongside it connected by 15 cross passages.
If approved, the project should kick off in January next year and finish in the first quarter of 2019. It is expected to cost USD 300M.
