Vietnam to start construction of Hai Van tunnel in july HANOI - Work for the construction of a tunnel through the Hai Van Pass will start in July this year. It will be the country's longest tunnel. The project, which was designed by Nippon Koei of Japan, Louis Berger of the US and Vietnamese consultancy companies, aims to improve traffic conditions along National Highway 1. The 15 km-long tunnel will begin at Lang Co in Phu Loc district of Thua Thien-Hue central province and end at Lien Chieu in Da Nang. The tunnel will have four lanes with a width of 11.7 m and stretching to 13.7 m at some places for car parking. It will allow vehicles to run a speed of 80 km per hour. The tunnel will be equipped with a video camera system, a dust counter, a vision metre, a carbon dioxide metre, a vehicle counter system, a fire alarm system and other necessary equipment. Total cost for the construction of the four-year project is estimated at US$ 251 million funded by international loans. Once completed, the tunnel will help vehicles cut down the time to pass the Lang Co-Lien Chieu section to 11 minutes from 45 or even 90 minutes at present. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communication, the old Hai Van Pass route will be kept over for tourism services. Vietnam News Agency - June 28, 2000.