HCMC – Lam Dong Province has asked two ministries to upgrade the Vinh Hao–Phan Thiet Expressway, citing safety concerns more than two years after it was opened to traffic.
The provincial government called on the Ministry of Construction to build a continuous shoulder along the 100-kilometer highway. Current emergency stops are spaced about five kilometers apart.
In a separate request to the Ministry of Public Security, the province urged tighter enforcement of speed limits, especially for overnight sleeper buses. It also recommended installing surveillance cameras across the route to detect violations and improve incident response.
The Project Management Board No. 7 under the Ministry of Construction said it was installing traffic monitoring systems, non-stop toll collection and vehicle weighing stations. These are expected to be completed by the end of August and operational by December. Surveillance cameras will be placed every two kilometers, with weigh stations at highway entrances.
The expressway, which opened in May 2023 with a total investment of VND11 trillion, has faced several issues. Rest areas remain closed, forcing drivers to stop along the highway for restroom breaks, raising accident risks.
The road lacks continuous shoulders, and existing stops are too narrow for large vehicles, which sometimes block traffic lanes. Drivers also reported poor visibility at night and glare from headlights on the undivided road.
Authorities said locals have breached roadside fences to graze livestock along the route, creating further hazards.
