HCMC – The Ministry of Construction has said VND16,314 billion (US$630 million) will be required to widen an often-congested section of the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, with VND6,500 billion of it expected to come from the State budget.
The 22-kilometer section between HCMC and Long Thanh is a key route connecting the country’s largest city to the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport. But with the current four lanes, it often grapples with heavy traffic congestion, especially on weekends and holidays.
The Ministry of Construction has urged the Government to approve the financial support and authorize the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) to expedite contractor selection under special circumstances to begin construction within this year. VEC will also be accountable for developing a detailed business and investment plan, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
The VEC has been proposed as the lead agency to implement the project.
The expressway, which was opened to traffic in 2014, has seen traffic exceeding its design capacity by 25% on the HCMC-Long Thanh section from An Phu Interchange to National Highway 51. Traffic volume has grown at an average rate of 10.82% annually.
The Ministry of Construction stressed the urgency of the project, saying this section will be further strained when the first phase of the Long Thanh International Airport is put into operation next year, with an annual capacity of 25 million passengers.
Under VEC’s approved plan, the expressway will be widened to eight lanes from the elevated Ring Road 2 to Ring Road 3, spanning 4.8 kilometers, and to 10 lanes from Ring Road 3 to the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway junction, covering 17 kilometers. The upgraded section will maintain a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour.
