Integrating post-evaluation into project cycle management for road infrastructure projects in Vietnam

ase % Case % 
1. Bicycle 2 0,2 0 0,0 1 0,4
2. Motorbike 49 4,1 15 19,7 50 21,6
3. Car 1.125 95,3 61 80,3 180 77,9
4. Small truck 3 0,3 0 0,0 0 0,0
5. Big truck 0 0,0 0 0,0 0 0,0
6. Super loading truck 1 0,1 0 0,0 0 0,0
7. Power-shovel 0 0,0 0 0,0 0 0,0
8. Passenger 0 0,0 0 0,0 0 0,0
9. Pedestrian 0 0,0 0 0,0 0 0,0
10. Other 1 0,1 0 0,0 0 0,0
Sum 1.181 100,0 76 100,0 231 100,0
Source: National Traffic Safety Committee (2006) 
According to the investigation of some local people, issues such as dust, noise and vibration 
were caused by the project and affected the people living along the roadsides of NH-5. In 
addition, pollution by waste at roadsides affected seriously the landscape and environment as 
shown in Figure 11. 
Figure 11 Waste along roadsides of NH-5 
Proceeding of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.8, 2011 
5.4.5 Sustainability 
According to the field survey, the results found that technical capacity for maintenance work 
and financial status is operated quite effectively. In addition, NH-5 is now being maintained 
under the fund borrowed from the World Bank at some sections in 2009 and 2010 as shown in 
Table 11. However, as indicated in survey notes of NH-5, some defects of barrier, subrange 
and dividing strips by cement concrete still exist and have not yet been solved in timely 
manner. 
Table 11 Financial status for management and maintenance of NH-5 
Unit: million VND 
Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
Operation and management 
expenditures for NH5*) 
10,308 10,549 28,998 15,061 12,118 15, 563 - 
Management & regular repair 6,431 7,127 10,021 5,320 3,347 9,331 - 
Maintenance 3,877 3,422 18,977 9,741 8,771 6,232 - 
Maintenance budgets under World 
Bank Project (WB-4) **) 
- - - - 104,0001) 137,0002)
Source: *) Regional Road Management Unit 2 (RRMU 2). **) Vietnam Road Administration (VRA) 
Note: 1) Section from Km 47+000 to Km 76+000; 2) Section from Km 11+135 to Km 47+000. Note that the data may differed 
from actual ones due to some practical adjustments 
According to the field survey, pavement condition of NH-5 is deteriorating quickly caused by 
heavy and overloaded vehicles and it needs more attention for maintenance activities. The 
pavement from Haiphong to Hanoi is being damaged more seriously than the opposite road 
lanes, creating rutting damages because most of vehicles travelling from Haiphong to Hanoi 
are overloaded as shown in Figure 12. Also, the section from Km76-Km93, the pavement 
condition toward Hanoi is damaged more seriously (Figure 13). 
Source: Vietnam Road Administration (2006). 
Figure 12 Vehicle situation and rutting happened in the direction of Haiphong to Hanoi 
Hanoi-Haiphong 
47percent of good pavement, 44 percent of pavement to 
be maintained and carpeted, and 9 percent of pavement to 
be improved 
Haiphong- Hanoi 
3 percent of good pavement, 82 percent of pavement to 
be maintained and carpeted, and 15percent of pavement 
to be improved 
Source: Vietnam Road Administration (2006). Note that rates of 1 and 7 for good and poor pavement conditions, respectively. 
Figure 13 Damaged pavement situation on NH-5 
Proceeding of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.8, 2011 
According to the survey, half the length of NH-5 goes through the densely populated areas. 
As per Vietnam Road Administration’s regulations, the width of road safety corridor along 
roadsides is 15 meters. However, at sections going through residential areas, private houses 
are built close to the roadsides. Nearly one half of this road’s length has been changed into the 
street, affecting sight distance for drivers as shown in Figure 14. 
Figure 14 Picture of private houses at 2 roadsides of NH-5 
The situation of opening a market is unmethodical, shops and inns, buyers and sellers 
encroach on pedestrian lane, for example of markets in Duong Cai (Van Lam - HungYen), 
Thia Moi (Quy Hao-Hung Yen), Tien Trung (Nam Sach-Hai Duong), shown in Figure 15 
Figure 15 Picture of marketplaces on NH-5 
6. CONCLUSIONS 
The results of the evaluation analysis for NH-5 has been mentioned above, following 
summaries are key recommendations for NH-5 as well as lessons learned for development and 
management of other road infrastructure in Vietnam: 
1 - To solve the problem of traffic accidents in the project, we need to introduce traffic 
engineering solutions such as traffic marks, traffic calming, traffic signal equipments. Also, 
we need to educate drivers and people living along roadsides for awareness of traffic 
accidents such as not climbing up the fence for crossing the road as shown in Figure 16. 
Proceeding of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.8, 2011 
Figure 16 People climbing up the median fence on NH-5 
2 – For other road infrastructure projects, we need to ensure the management of safety 
corridor along roads, and also to ensure that land reserved for road upgrading to meet the 
increasing traffic demand in the future. Investment projects need to ensure both efficiency and 
sustainability. 
3 – For roads with large percentages of heavy truck like NH-5, we need to consider weighing-
in-motion (WIM) for controlling vehicle loads as for example in Figure 17, or to 
build structures consistent with the actual load conditions according to each different direction. 
However, when installing WIM, it needs to consider negative impacts on transportation 
business activities. In addition, we need to establish road maintenance funds (RMF) to ensure 
the efficiency and sustainability of road maintenance in order to improve the quality of road 
performance and to extend the life of the road structures. 
Source:  
Figure 17 Sample of weighing-in-motion for controlling vehicle loads 
In conclusion, the post-evaluation results of the project support agency managers to evaluate 
investment efficiency for the current project, to promptly have appropriate solutions in 
operating the project, or to obtain appropriate lessons for next future projects for 
implementing more effectively in order to make great benefit to society. In addition, the 
proposed procedure integrated with the post-evaluation can be also applied for other 
infrastructure projects and the post-evaluation needs to be considered as a requirement for 
project cycle management in Vietnam. 
Proceeding of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.8, 2011 
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