More than 60% of Vietnam’s national road network, or over 15,000 km, is past its scheduled maintenance deadline, but work has not begun because of funding shortages.
The Vietnam Road Administration said an inspection of nearly 7,000 traffic-light systems nationwide found problems at more than 1,000 sites. The issues included missing countdown displays, small indicators that are difficult to see, and unstable operation caused by long use or outdated technology.
The inspection also found about 10,520 problem locations involving road signs. They included signs of unsuitable size, poor placement, missing directions, and faded signs. Some locations did not violate regulations, but the information was arranged in a way that could confuse road users.
Problems with traffic signals have been fixed at 860 locations, while 165 complex sites still require work. Nearly 9,000 road-sign problems have been addressed. More than 1,500 remaining cases mainly require additional signs, replacement of signs that do not meet the regulations, or changes to their placement.
The Vietnam Road Administration instructed authorities to fix simple problems immediately. For complex cases, local authorities must prepare plans, estimate costs, and prioritize funding. Inspections should continue regularly while roads are in use so that damaged signs, hard-to-read information, and unstable traffic lights can be identified in time.
Le Hong Diep, head of the traffic organization division at the Vietnam Road Administration, said the work is difficult because road maintenance and repair funding covers about 40% of actual needs. More than 60% of the national road network, or over 15,000 km, is past its scheduled maintenance deadline and has not been repaired because of the funding shortage.
The administration said that fixing the problems must include clearly assigning responsibility to the organizations that manage and operate the roads. Resources should be prioritized for worn or damaged infrastructure and locations that may pose a traffic-safety risk. In the long term, the road-sign system should be reviewed alongside the road-network plan, road scale, and traffic-organization plans.
The Vietnam Road Administration will also work with the Traffic Police Department and local authorities to study the use of science, technology, and artificial intelligence in traffic organization through signal systems. Funding for completing infrastructure work and gradually modernizing road operations will be prioritized.
For signs with symbols, markings, or dimensions that do not yet fully comply with the National Technical Regulation on Road Signs QCVN 41:2024, replacement will be calculated and phased according to available resources. The required deadline is before August 20, 2030.
Sources: Thanh Niên.
Sources: Thanh Niên
