HCMC – The Hau Giang–Ca Mau section of Vietnam’s eastern North–South Expressway will not open to traffic on December 31 as planned and has been postponed to January 2026 to complete technical works and ensure traffic safety.
The My Thuan Project Management Board said the opening schedule has been adjusted due to unfavorable weather conditions that have slowed the completion of remaining auxiliary items, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
The expressway was initially scheduled to begin operation at 9 a.m. on December 31. However, prolonged heavy rainfall following a technical opening on December 19 disrupted on-site construction, particularly traffic safety-related works.
Tran Van Thi, director of the My Thuan Project Management Board, said contractors are still finalizing traffic safety systems. The delay is necessary to ensure construction quality and operational safety.
The Can Tho–Ca Mau Expressway is a nationally important transport project linking Can Tho City with Vietnam’s southernmost province. It is expected to ease congestion on National Highway 1 and support economic, social, and security development in the Mekong Delta.
The project comprises two sections—Can Tho–Hau Giang and Hau Giang–Ca Mau—with a total investment of more than VND27.5 trillion. The expressway spans nearly 111 kilometers across Can Tho City, An Giang Province, and Ca Mau Province.
In its initial phase, the route has four lanes with a 17-meter-wide roadbed. It will later be expanded to 24.75 meters, with a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour and fully integrated electronic toll collection and intelligent transport systems.
