[Photo] Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway after more than 10 years of construction

NDO - The Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway construction project is a national key project on the North-South Expressway axis, with a total length of 57.8km, passing through Long An province, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province. After 10 years since the commencement of construction, the expressway has not been completed due to many difficulties. To date, the difficulties have been resolved, and the project is being accelerated to open the entire route to traffic.

The Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway construction project started in October 2014 and was expected to be completed and put into use in 2019. However, when the construction reached 80% of the volume, it encountered problems with mechanisms and policies, especially capital, so the construction was stopped. In July 2023, the Prime Minister extended the completion time to September 30, 2025.

The project has a total investment of VND 29,587 billion, using capital sources from JICA loans, ADB loans, counterpart capital from the state budget and capital arranged by the Vietnam Expressway Corporation.

The Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway is a national key project on the North-South Expressway axis, located in the Southern Key Economic Zone. The project passes through Long An province for 2.7km, Ho Chi Minh City for 26.4km and Dong Nai province for 28.7km.

When put into operation, the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway will connect traffic between the Western and Southeast regions, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to promoting socio-economic development of the Southern Key Economic Zone.

In Dong Nai province, on February 7, Vietnam Expressway Corporation opened two sections of Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway with a total length of 10.4 km.

Accordingly, the eastern section is 7km long through Dong Nai province, from Phuoc An intersection, Phuoc An commune, Nhon Trach district to National Highway 51, Phuoc Thai commune, Long Thanh district. The western section is about 3.4km long from Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway, My Yen intersection in Ben Luc district, Long An province to National Highway 1A, Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City.

Previously, the Vietnam Expressway Corporation put the two sections of the above route into temporary operation to serve the travel needs of people during the Lunar New Year 2025, reducing traffic volume on roads, contributing to ensuring order and traffic safety in the area.

Vietnam Expressway Corporation said that recently, with the participation of relevant parties, the project's problems have been promptly resolved. After restarting construction from the third quarter of 2023, some sections of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway project have been basically completed.

According to the plan, the western section (from Km 3+420 to Km 21+739.5) and the eastern section (from Km 35+900 to Km 50+530) are expected to complete construction before April 30, 2025.

Currently, the relevant units are working hard with the spirit of "overcoming the sun, overcoming the rain", "3 shifts, 4 crews", striving to put the remaining sections of the eastern and western sections of the project into operation before April 30, 2025. Moving towards opening the entire route to traffic in 2026.

Open traffic at the intersection with National Highway 51, in Dong Nai province.

Intersection of National Highway 51 with Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-cao-toc-ben-luc-long-thanh-sau-hon-10-nam-xay-dung-post859168.html