Approval by government for $163 million, 5 km-long tunnel on proposed 1,880 km highway along Truong Son mountain range linking north with south of country. August 1997.   Ministry of Construction PMU85 has announced that construction of the 6.5 km-long HaiVan Pass tunnel on National Highway No. 1 commenced on 20th June for completion in mid-2004. More than 95% of affected households have been relocated in new residential areas. The 21km long pass is 1,172 m above sea level and links the central provinces to the south.The project will cost a total of US$251 million, with 85% from the JBIC. A jv of Hazama Construction and Vietnam's Cienco 6 won the tender for package-1A north tunnel section, while Package-1B south tunnel section went to a jv of Dong Ah and Song Na Construction. A consortium of Nippon Koei of Japan, Louis Berger of the US and the local Transport Engineering Design Inc. will serve as project designer and construction supervisor. Visit www.louisberger.com June 2000. Main tunnel 6.3 km-long, 7.5 m-high x 11.3 m-wide underway with parallel emergency tunnel 3.8 m-high x 4.7 m-wide with 11 x 22.3 m-long connections for pedestrians and four for vehicles. Ventilation tunnel 1.8 km-long x 8.2 m-wide. Visit www.louisberger.com December 2000.   Contractors Cienco 6-Hazama jv blasted north portal 20th April, 2001 to start package 1A comprising 3.365 km-long, 80 sq m main tunnel with parallel 15 sq m evacuation tunnel, seven cross-passageways, 138 m-long electrostatic precipitator, 1.565 km-long ventilation shaft and 85 m approach. Red River Corp-Dong Ah jv expects to portal at south end package 1B in June, 2001. Visit www.louisberger.com 18/01.  Second 6.25 km-long parallel tunnel approved to replace evacuation tunnel. Completion by 2004. Altitude 1,172 m ASL. Tunnels will link Lang Co in Thua Thien-Hue and Lien Chieu Industrial Park in Da Nang. Visit www.louisberger.com 41/01.