Back Stories » Saigon » Don’t Panic: The Phu My Bridge Is Not Falling Apart

Don’t Panic: The Phu My Bridge Is Not Falling Apart

A picture on Facebook showing a one-meter crack in Saigon’s largest cable-stayed Bridge has raised safety concerns among local residents even as city authorities say not to worry.


Related Articles:

Long An Bridge Collapses 14 Days After It Opens

Hanoi To Build New Bridge Instead Of Tearing Down Long Biên

HCMC Moves To Replace Historic Bình Lợi Railway Bridge


The picture in question clearly shows one of Phu My Bridge’s girders with a large gap, followed by the caption “Current look of Phu My Bridge with a big crack. Very easy to collapse,” reports Zing.

The photo inspired many others to survey the bridge with their lenses, resulting in the detection of yet another one-meter gap where the cables and the bridge path are joined. The cavity is not visible to drivers on the bridge as it is covered by a large metal sheet.

Responding to a request of the Transport Department, Phu My Investment Company (PMC) had its chief engineer examine the structure. They concluded that the “frightening” gap is actually part of the bridge’s design.

According to PMC, the space is needed to accommodate thermal expansion - changes to the structure’s physical makeup as it contracts and expands based on the temperature.

Phu My Bridge spans over 2,000 meters between Districts 2 and 7. It was constructed and designed by German, French and Australian experts and opened to traffic in 2009 at a cost of US$142 million.

Here's a pretty nifty video that shows how the bridge was constructed:

Related Articles

in Saigon

$100,000 Diamond Allegedly Vanishes From Woman’s Finger In HCMC Hotel

A Hanoi woman claims that she was drugged at a HCMC hotel last weekend and awoke to find that a $100,000 diamond had been pried from her ring.

in Saigon

100,000 Workers at Saigon Industrial Zones to Get Free WiFi by 2019

Workers at Saigon’s industrial zones can look forward to free WiFi access in the near future thanks to a new program.

in Saigon

100-Year-Old Trees In Front Of Opera House Cut Down To Make Way For Metro

Flower Street and the statues in front of Bến Thành Market aren’t the only sacrifices being made to accommodate the construction of Saigon’s first metro line.

in Saigon

122-Year-Old Saigon Woman Confirmed As World’s Oldest

The World Records Association (WRA) has completed the verification process and officially confirmed Saigon’s 122-year-old Nguyen Thi Tru, as the world’s oldest woman.

in Saigon

160 Wood Benches Being Added To Nguyen Hue Street

The trees that were cut down last July during construction of the metro station in front of the Saigon Opera House are making a comeback in the form of benches.

in Saigon

18,600 Trees to Be Cut for Tourist Road Through Can Gio

Saigon authorities have given the go-ahead for a US$8.7 million road through the UNESCO recognized Can Gio biosphere reserve that will necessitate the felling of 18,600 trees.

Partner Content