Vinh Tuy Bridge gridlocked as workers return after holiday, with crossings taking up to an hour

Traffic around Hanoi’s Vinh Tuy Bridge remained tightly packed for hours on the first workday after the National Day holiday, leaving some commuters stuck for up to an hour.

From 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 3, vehicles built up at both ends of the bridge. Traffic on Co Linh, Dam Quang Trung, Minh Khai and other approach roads moved slowly, with cars lining up toward the bridge and vehicles gathering on Co Linh from the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway and Chuong Duong Bridge.

Motorbikes squeezed through narrow gaps between cars beside construction barriers. An ambulance repeatedly sounded its priority signal, but the jam forced its driver to advance only a little at a time. At about 9:30 a.m., congestion still affected several sections, including routes from central Hanoi and the road toward Thanh Tri Bridge.

Construction fencing for the Co Linh tunnel had narrowed the road in an area that already carries heavy traffic. The congestion worsened after five days of National Day holiday travel, as residents returned to Hanoi for work and study. Some schools also asked students to gather ahead of opening ceremonies, adding parents and private vehicles to several routes.

Duong Thi Lan, from Gia Lam, said her trip from National Highway 5 across Vinh Tuy Bridge to Minh Khai took about 40 minutes. “I was late for work on the first morning after the holiday. I didn’t expect the road to be this congested,” she said.

On Sept. 2, Hanoi police had put in place a traffic organization and remote diversion plan, restricting heavy trucks at intersections near Nuoc Ngam bus station and Co Linh. Officials said the measures aimed to reduce pressure at gateway roads and prevent prolonged congestion.

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I was late for work on the first morning after the holiday. I didn’t expect the road to be this congested.