HCMC – Starting April 4, trucks of over 30 tons and coaches with more than 30 seats will be barred from using the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway, the Department for Roads of Vietnam has announced.
According to the department’s announcement on March 28, vehicles falling under these criteria, including coaches, trucks exceeding 30 tons, and semi-trailer trucks, will be rerouted to National Highway 1A, running parallel to the expressway. This measure aims to divert around 3,500 vehicles daily to National Highway 1A, thereby easing traffic pressure on the expressway.
Preparations for the traffic rearrangement are underway, with the installation of traffic signs at expressway interchanges and relevant segments expected to be completed by April 4.
The decision to ban heavy-duty trucks and large coaches from the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway stemmed from a proposal by a consulting firm at a meeting on traffic rearrangement organized by the Department for Roads of Vietnam.
The Cam Lo-La Son Expressway, spanning nearly 100 kilometers and connecting Quang Tri and Thua-Thien Hue provinces, has been used by around 10,000 vehicles per day since its opening in late 2022. Trucks account for nearly half of this traffic volume.
With two lanes and no concrete median, the expressway can accommodate 9,000 to 11,000 vehicles per day. In contrast, National Highway 1A sees over 26,000 vehicles daily, with heavy-duty trucks comprising only 37% of the total traffic. National Highway 1A has a capacity of accommodating 31,000 to 33,500 vehicles daily, leaving room for about 6,000 additional vehicles.
In the first investment phase, the Cam Lo-La Son Expressway has two lanes and will be expanded in the subsequent phases. Since the expressway was opened to traffic in late 2022, it has seen many accidents, resulting in five fatalities.
