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| Tu Hien Bridge crossing the sea-gate on Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon. Photo: Nguyen Phong |
Urban development towards the sea
With the advantage of its long coastline and the vast Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system, the city has paid special attention to natural elements like the sea and lagoon during the planning process. The centrally-governed municipality is identified under a “cluster of cities, multi-center” model. To materialize this orientation, the city is developing the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon area into an eco-tourism destination of national and international significance, serving as a driving force for the development of the Central Coast's marine economic cluster, combined with building Hue City - Da Nang City area into a strong national marine economic hub.
The Prime Minister also approved the master plan for Thua Thien Hue urban area (now Hue City) until 2045, with a vision to 2065, in Decision No. 108/QD-TTg dated January 26, 2024 (the Master Plan 108). This plan identifies one of its key characteristics as: “Being a growth pole for the Central region's driving force in marine economy, tourism economy, a major national center for science and technology, specialized healthcare, multi-disciplinary and multi-field high-quality education and training; an international tourism center; and a national center for industrial development and seaports…”.
To prosper from the sea, the city is focusing on finalizing planning, attracting investment, and investing in constructing infrastructure in line with the directions of the Master Plan 108. It is accelerating planning completion to provide a basis for attracting investment and socio-economic development in the area. Hue City’s People's Committee has issued a related plan assigning localities and units to review zoning plans and detailed plans to ensure alignment with the Master Plan 108, and to build zoning plan to develop functional zones to serve investment attraction efforts.
According to the Department of Construction, the coverage rate of zoning plans for central urban areas like Thuan Hoa, Phu Xuan districts, and Huong Thuy, Huong Tra towns reached 100%, with a total of 45 approved zoning plan projects, covering an area of over 48,000 hectares. Additionally, 100% of the zoning plan area for wards in Phong Dien town has been covered with 6 projects, totaling approximately 19,700 hectares. Furthermore, the Project to Adjust the Master Plan for the Construction of Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1657/QD-TTg dated December 26, 2024. This provides an important basis for the city to develop the Chan May area into a southern gateway urban area, connecting with Da Nang City and other Central Coastal provinces; it will be a smart, modern city, a marine economic zone associated with Chan May deep-water port, the region's logistics center, and industrial zones in the area.
Inter-regional connectivity
To become a centrally-governed municipality, the authorities have recently prioritized accelerating the implementation of economic and technical infrastructure development projects, especially transport infrastructure with connectivity and spillover effects. With support from the Central government, ministries, and sectors, the city has implemented numerous works, projects, plans, and master plans to gradually complete its internal and external transport systems, creating seamless connections. The transport infrastructure system has undergone fundamental changes in recent times, effectively meeting the needs of residents and businesses.
Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of Construction, affirmed that a highlight in infrastructure development recently has been the accelerated progress in completing key projects such as the National Highway 49A, the National Highway 49B; the expansion of Passenger Terminal of Phu Bai International Airport; berths at Chan May Port, and the breakwater of Chan May Port. In the coming period, the city will continue to prioritize resources for investing in connecting routes between the central urban area and satellite urban areas to create momentum and spillover effects for socio-economic development, such as the Phu My - Thuan An route, the Mai Market - Tan My route, the western road of Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon (Phu My - Phu Da section); the coastal road project and Thuan An sea-overpass bridge, Nguyen Hoang street, extended To Huu street to Phu Bai Airport, and the Ring Road 3.
Specifically, the La Son - Tuy Loan section of the North-South Expressway (approximately 66km long), and the Cam Lo - La Son section of the North-South Expressway (approximately 98km long) phase 1 have been completed, and are now in operation. The project has opened new external gateways for the city, with numerous on/off ramps and expressway connections, which are crucial transportation hubs. They not only facilitate the flow of goods and share traffic with the National Highway 1, contributing to the development of industrial zones, but also open up opportunities for the future development of bustling urban and commercial areas. Recently, the city, in coordination with the Ministry of Construction, commenced the project to expand the La Son - Hoa Lien expressway, which is expected to be completed this year. Additionally, the upcoming expansion of the Cam Lo - La Son expressway will further promote inter-regional socio-economic development.
According to the Department of Construction, a system of key projects has been gradually taking shape within the city, creating a framework for urban development, population decentralization, and land fund development. Especially, these projects are laying the groundwork and providing strong momentum for the formation of a coastal urban chain in the future, contributing significantly to the development of the marine economy. With the goal of developing the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon and coastal area and the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone into one of the country's strongly developed marine economic centers, the city will focus on implementing synchronous solutions to mobilize and effectively utilize resources from all economic sectors. Emphasis will be placed on attracting investment and promoting large projects to generate increased budget revenue.
Furthermore, the city is accelerating the development of the region's functional areas, with a focus on investing in the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone. This is an important driving force for the region, serving as a logistics and international trade center connected to the Chan May deep-water port, a sustainable and efficient high-end tourism and resort center, and a core driver for the industrial parks and clusters in the region.