The North-South Expressway through Dak Lak is unlikely to be completed for technical traffic on schedule.

After weeks of being stalled by floods, since the beginning of December, contractors working on the North-South expressway section through Dak Lak province have been making efforts to accelerate construction and race against time. However, investors say that the possibility of opening the expressway for technical traffic before December 19th, as required by the Ministry of Construction, is very difficult.

In mid-December, on the North-South expressway construction site, the construction units simultaneously switched to a full-scale operation, organizing 3 shifts and 4 teams to both repair damage caused by floods and reinforce the roadbed, while also completing the remaining items.

The contractor is focusing on construction to catch up on the schedule for the Chi Thanh - Van Phong component project.

The heavy rains from November 6th to 22nd caused severe damage to many sections of the road in Dak Lak . Water from upstream rushed in, flooding many areas, causing erosion of the embankment and landslides. The roadbed was submerged in water for too long, and the saturated soil significantly reduced its compaction. In the affected sections, the upper structural layers could not be constructed, especially the asphalt layer, a component requiring a completely dry and stable road surface for several consecutive days.

Despite maximum efforts, the completion deadline of December 19th is highly unlikely. The amount of work arising from the natural disaster is enormous, while critical items cannot be accelerated. If the weather is favorable in the latter half of December and there is no prolonged heavy rain, the most feasible date for the project's technical opening to traffic could be around December 30th."

Mr. Bui Trong Lai, Project Director of the Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh Expressway

Representatives from Project Management Board 7, the investor of the Chi Thanh - Van Phong component project, stated that along the more than 48-kilometer stretch, many items that had just been completed during the rare sunny days of early November were swept away by the historic floods. The temporary shelters, asphalt and cement concrete mixing plants were deeply submerged, and some mechanical equipment had to be dismantled and sent for repair. The construction workforce was also temporarily depleted as many local workers had to take time off to repair damage to their homes after the floods. These factors caused a disruption to the project's progress, making it impossible to maintain continuous construction as originally planned.

As of early December, the project had completed approximately 90% of the contract value. However, the remaining work focuses primarily on the most critical items that directly impact the quality of the construction, including: asphalt paving of the road surface, completion of the bridge deck, installation of traffic safety systems, and thorough repair of damage caused by rain and floods. These tasks all require stable, continuously dry weather for many days, and the roadbed must meet technical standards regarding compaction and load-bearing capacity before implementation.

The contractor is laying asphalt pavement on the Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh component of the project.

As soon as the rain stopped, contractors simultaneously mobilized additional equipment, increased the number of shifts, and stockpiled materials on-site to be ready for construction as soon as the sun came out. Many sections of the route were prioritized for crushed stone base, cement concrete pouring, and slope reinforcement to facilitate asphalt paving. Construction teams took turns on duty 24/7 at critical locations to promptly handle any potential safety hazards, ensuring continuous operation of the entire construction site and preventing further damage.

At the Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh component project, Project Management Board 85 is also mobilizing contractors to complete the final items including bridge deck paving and road sections. Due to the rainy season still ongoing in the eastern part of Dak Lak province, contractors are taking advantage of sunny days to expedite construction. Several tasks are being accelerated, such as asphalt paving; traffic safety systems; concrete drainage ditches; guardrail and sign installation; road reinforcement; and road marking painting, in order to catch up on the schedule.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202512/cao-toc-bac-nam-qua-dak-lak-kho-thong-xe-ky-thuat-dung-thoi-gian-yeu-cau-5c915d6/