New road helps tap tourism potential

Rung Sac (Sac Forest) road, a new road linking HCMC with the East Sea through coastal district Can Gio, was inaugurated on Saturday after nine years of construction, feeding eco-tourism potential in the district internationally recognized as a biosphere reserve.
Huynh Cach Mang, chairman of Can Gio District, said local government would continue calling for holiday and environmental tourism investment including restaurant and hotel services. The district now has 31 tourism projects, seven of which are operating.
Construction of the VND1.5 trillion road began in 2002, stretching over 31 kilometers from Binh Khanh ferry to the 30-4 intersection. The road has six lanes and seven bridges across the canals that crisscross Can Gio mangrove forest.
HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan at the inauguration ceremony urged related units to cooperate with the Transport Ministry to build Binh Khanh Bridge to replace the ferry service. The city would also upgrade roads connecting with Rung Sac road like Ly Nhon, An Thoi Dong, Tam Thon Hiep and Rung Sac parallel road.
“Nha Be District needs to speed up site clearance and hand over land to Saigon Water Corp. (Sawaco) to complete water supply facilities for Can Gio before April 30, as well as water pipes to families in local communes,” Quan was quoted by Phap Luat as saying.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the first phase on January 26, 2010, State President Nguyen Minh Triet said the road was the city’s strategic gateway to the East Sea and would help boost the social and economic development of not only Can Gio District but also the city.
After the first phase, local residents in the most remote district of the city no longer relied solely on Binh Khanh ferry. The road cuts travel time to Can Thanh Township by a third to 40 minutes from an hour.
The road was constructed by Voluntary Youth Public Service Co. Ltd. while Saigon Construction Quality Control Co. was the supervision consultant. The district’s project construction and investment management unit was the investor of the project.
A 600 hectare sea reclamation project in Can Gio will restart in June with 100 hectares expected to complete this year.