Chi Thanh - Van Phong Expressway: Risk of slow progress by the end of 2025

The Ministry of Construction warned that the Chi Thanh - Van Phong expressway project is at risk of not being completed on time by December 2025 due to the slow progress of the XL02 package.

Overview of Chi Thanh - Van Phong expressway project

The Chi Thanh - Van Phong component project is an important part of the North - South Eastern Expressway in the 2021-2025 period. The route has a total length of more than 48 km, passing through Phu Yen province, with a total investment of nearly 11,000 billion VND. The project started construction in early 2023 and is scheduled to be completed on December 19, 2025, contributing to the goal of 3,000 km of expressway nationwide.

Progress status and warnings from the Ministry of Construction

According to the latest assessment from the Ministry of Construction, the project is facing a serious risk of being behind schedule. The Ministry's document pointed out that of the two main packages, only package XL01 is being implemented as planned. Meanwhile, package XL02 is being implemented very slowly, posing a great risk of not being able to complete according to the proposed timeline.

Construction images on the Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh expressway, an adjacent component project. Photo: Government Newspaper.

Reason for delay

The Ministry of Construction has identified a number of main causes leading to this situation:

• Management: Project Management Board 7 (PMU 7) is said to have not seriously implemented the instructions of the Government and ministries in urging construction and handling contractors behind schedule.
• Construction organization: Construction at the site is still fragmented and unscientific, and has not applied the rolling construction method for foundation, road surface and traffic safety system items.
• Equipment resources: Some contractors use the same mixing plant and asphalt paving line for many other projects in the area, leading to failure to ensure the progress and resource requirements for this project.

New requirements and timelines

To overcome the above situation, the Ministry of Construction has requested Project Management Board 7 and related contractors to make drastic changes. Specifically, the units must rebuild detailed progress on a daily and weekly basis, while meeting important milestones:

• Complete the entire crushed stone foundation and cement-reinforced crushed stone foundation before November 25, 2025 .
• Complete all asphalt paving work and installation of traffic safety systems before December 10, 2025 .

The Ministry of Construction emphasized that if the current construction status does not have a breakthrough, the project will not be able to be completed as planned.

Strategic location and infrastructure connectivity

The Chi Thanh - Van Phong Expressway plays a vital role in connecting the South Central region. The starting point of the project is at the Chi Thanh intersection (Tuy An district), connecting with the Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh Expressway. The end point is at the intersection with National Highway 1 (Dong Hoa town), connecting with the northern access road of Deo Ca tunnel and the Van Phong - Nha Trang Expressway. When completed, the route will form a synchronous traffic axis, shortening travel time and promoting regional connectivity.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/cao-toc-chi-thanh-van-phong-nguy-co-cham-tien-do-cuoi-2025-398072.html