The nipa‑palm‑shaped pedestrian bridge that will cross the Saigon River is about to be joined on 21 October. Understanding how such a massive structure is moved, tested and installed helps readers appreciate modern engineering.

The main bridge structure weighs about 1,400 tonnes and the specialized steel supporting frame about 2,000 tonnes, according to Nutifood Nutrition Food JSC. Transporting the components from Dong Xuyen Port to the installation site is expected to take about two days.

For technical inspections, Nutifood used around 30 self‑propelled modular transporters to lift the assembly 40 cm off the ground. Sensors recorded key parameters during this lift.

After the lift, the bridge underwent 24 hours of load testing and displacement monitoring. Nutifood reported that the structure remained stable, meeting the design requirements for deflection and stiffness.

The final joining of the span will only proceed when hydrological calculations show suitable water levels in the Saigon River, as Nutifood explained. This shows that even after the heavy lifting and testing, river conditions still dictate the schedule.