Thousands of vehicles, including trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth, have been diverting from National Highway 1 to use district roads 63 and 67 in Cai Lay district, Tien Giang province, to bypass the toll plaza. This has led to severe traffic congestion and increased safety risks.
Traffic Congestion and Hazards on District Roads
Vehicles, particularly trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth, traveling from the Cai Lay town bypass towards National Highway 1 through Phu An commune are forced to turn right and then left to head towards My Thuan. This creates a frequent traffic bottleneck at the Bot 23 intersection, around km 2002 in Phu An commune, Cai Lay district. District road 67, designed for vehicles under 10 tons, is now bearing a large volume of trucks and passenger vehicles evading the toll booth, causing overload and damage. There have even been incidents of two vehicles overturning into the canal while trying to pass each other due to the narrow road.
Difficulties for Residents and Inadequate Handling
Residents living along district roads 67 and 63 are facing significant difficulties in their daily lives due to trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth. This detour route is only about 5km compared to 7km if using National Highway 1 through the toll booth. However, taking this detour does not guarantee cost savings if drivers are fined by traffic police for route violations. Currently, Cai Lay district police only penalize violations such as overloading and exceeding passenger limits for vehicles evading the toll booth. The issue of trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth by driving on incorrect routes has not been penalized due to the lack of specific regulations.
Long-Term Solutions and Debates
BOT Tien Giang has proposed installing a toll booth near the bypass to collect fees from vehicles evading the toll plaza. However, this needs to be considered and approved by relevant authorities. On the other hand, according to the Head of the Cai Lay District Project Management Board, it is not possible to reduce the load capacity or restrict vehicles on the two district roads because the designs and signs were announced before the toll booth became operational. The situation of trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth continues and requires a radical solution to ensure traffic safety and the rights of residents.
Conclusion
The problem of trucks evading the Cai Lay toll booth is causing numerous consequences for traffic and the lives of local residents. Finding a balanced solution between toll collection and ensuring smooth and safe traffic flow is a major challenge that requires coordination between functional agencies and BOT enterprises.
