HCMC – Four sections of the North-South Expressway were opened to traffic this morning, April 19, allowing vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The new routes are expected to reduce travel time between Hanoi and Quang Binh, and between HCMC and Phu Yen.
According to the Ministry of Construction, four out of 12 sections of the second phase of the North-South Expressway project have been essentially completed, totaling approximately 208 kilometers. These include: Bai Vot – Ham Nghi (35 km), Ham Nghi – Vung Ang (54 km), Bung – Van Ninh (49 km), Van Phong – Nha Trang (70 km completed out of 83 km).
The Bai Vot–Ham Nghi, Ham Nghi–Vung Ang, and Bung–Van Ninh segments, connecting Ha Tinh to Quang Binh, commenced construction in January 2023. Following today’s technical opening, the main routes will be operational by April 28, with full completion expected before June 30.
The Van Phong–Nha Trang section, which began construction in January 2022, has completed 70.35 kilometers out of 83.35 kilometers and has been approved by the State Council for Construction Work Acceptance.
These expressway projects aim to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce accidents, and ease pressure on National Highway 1A, while significantly cutting travel time between key destinations such as HCMC and Phu Yen, and Hanoi and Ha Tinh or Quang Binh.
The ministry emphasized that these expressways are exclusively for automobiles. Pedestrians, rudimentary vehicles, motorbikes, mopeds, tractors, and special-purpose vehicles with a design speed under 90 km/h are not permitted, except for vehicles and personnel involved in expressway maintenance and management.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is scheduled to initiate a series of groundbreaking and inauguration ceremonies for infrastructure projects nationwide, with the main event held at the construction site of the Tan Son Nhat International Airport’s newly built Terminal T3 .
Key events include the inauguration of four North-South expressway sections, the opening of a segment of the Ben Luc–Long Thanh Expressway (from National Highway 1A to Nguyen Van Tao intersection), and the completion of the main structure of the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge.
