Ore trucks using National Highway 14D must move their cargo from six-axle trucks onto three-axle trucks at a yard or transfer station before using the road, Báo Đà Nẵng reported. The Department of Construction's Notice 17941/TB-SXD, issued on September 29, bars vehicles with four or more axles from the route from October 10 until the upgrade is finished and the road reopens.
The department's reasons, as given in the report: the road base has eroded down to the soil, so the surface deteriorates faster than repairs can keep up; the route has narrow sections, sharp bends and muddy stretches where long ore trucks get stuck and block traffic, which could delay rescue vehicles; and dust in dry weather affects residents. Highway 14D is the only road from the Nam Giang border gate to central Da Nang, with no detour for long vehicles or containers.
Three-axle trucks are allowed, with a load of 9 + 9 + 6 tonnes (24 tonnes). Exemptions cover essential goods, rescue and relief cargo, and materials for the 14D project, Nam Giang boarding-school projects and commune-level projects; drivers must carry papers proving it. The Department of Foreign Affairs told the Lao Consulate General in Da Nang and Sekong province's foreign affairs department on October 2. Residents along the route reportedly support the ban.
Why it matters: The rule affects cross-border cargo. Officials from Da Nang and Sekong met on October 20 to discuss traffic arrangements during the Highway 14D works, as we reported.
Sources
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