The Pa Uon Bridge is located along Highway 279, approximately 70 kilometers from Sơn La upstream of the Black River.

[4] Previous to the bridge's construction, reaching Quynh Nhai District and the nearby Thai villages required riding the Uon Pa ferry.

[5] In 2005, the building of the Sơn La Dam would both initiate the re-location of nine of the Quynh Nhai District's thirteen communes as well as an increase in traffic at the crossing.

[9] In December 2012, the Son La Hydropower Plant was also opened for operation, making the bridge a key route to and from the largest hydroelectric project in Southeast Asia.

[10] Although the bridge has made its predecessor ferries near obsolete, some writers express nostalgia for the vessels and the role they played in sustaining communities in the past.