Hanoi Closes Long Bien Bridge for Repairs After Structural Failure

Photo courtesy of VN Express

Hanoi is closing Long Bien Bridge to motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians for 60 days starting March 28 due to critical structural damage discovered in February. The Department of Construction announced the closure, effective until May 27, to conduct emergency repairs on the bridge's pedestrian walkways and vehicle lanes. Traffic is being diverted to Chuong Duong Bridge, impacting daily commuters.

Get today's headlines by email

Long Bien Bridge, inaugurated in 1902 and constructed under French colonial rule, is one of Southeast Asia's oldest steel bridges. It spans 1,691 meters across the Red River and accommodates numerous trains on the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway line. Despite previous restrictions, the bridge still supports thousands of motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians daily.

The urgent repairs follow the discovery of a fractured steel truss joint between panels 10 and 11 on span 18, which compromised the bridge's integrity. Ha Hai Railway JSC, managing the bridge, identified the issue on February 2, leading to immediate rerouting of trains to ensure safety. Emergency reinforcements allowed trains to resume services by February 9.

Long Bien Bridge was initially built for a much shorter lifespan. A major repair in 2015, which cost nearly VND300 billion ($11.4 million), aimed to maintain operations until 2020, anticipating Metro Line 1 as a replacement. However, the metro project, approved in 2004, has faced significant delays and is now tentatively scheduled for 2030-2035, reported VN Express.

Join the discussion?

  Adapted by ASEAN Now · VN Express · 26 Mar 2026