HCMC – Project Management Board No. 7 has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Construction to spend an estimated VND15.3 trillion widening the HCMC-Long Thanh Expressway to between eight and 10 lanes, according to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Traffic volume on the expressway has grown at an average annual rate of 10.82%. The four-lane section of the expressway between An Phu Interchange and the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Interchange has been overwhelmed with increasingly heavy traffic.
Project Management Board No. 7, which oversees the expressway, said that this expressway section could become stuck when the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport becomes operational as this is a key route to travel between HCMC and the forthcoming airport. The board has urged an immediate expansion to address the issue.
Under the proposal, the expansion will cover nearly 22 kilometers, from Ring Road 2 in HCMC to the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Interchange in neighboring Dong Nai Province.
The elevated section between Ring Road 2 and Ring Road 3 will be widened by 7.75 meters on each side, increasing capacity to eight lanes with a total bridge width of 42 meters.
Between Ring Road 3 and the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Interchange, the expressway will be expanded to 10 lanes. The road will be widened by 11 meters on each side, bringing the total roadbed width to 49.5 meters. Bridges along this section will be widened by 11.5 meters on each side, reaching a total width of 49.5 meters.
A new five-lane Long Thanh Bridge, including an emergency lane, will be constructed with a width of 23.75 meters.
The investment capital will be sourced from the central Government’s increased revenue in 2024. Of this amount, approximately VND967 billion would be allocated for compensation, resettlement, and support costs, while construction expenses would account for more than VND11.1 trillion.
The project is proposed to be divided into three components: the first covering expressway expansion, the second addressing compensation and resettlement in HCMC, and the third handling similar efforts in Dong Nai.
Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with substantial completion targeted for 2026.
To ensure alignment with the progress of the Long Thanh airport project, Project Management Board No. 7 has recommended special policies and mechanisms for contractor selection, feasibility study approval, technical design assessment, and land clearance procedures.
