Highways provide momentum for local development.

Editor's Note:

The North-South Expressway (Eastern section) is the most important transport corridor in the country's transportation infrastructure, spanning 2,063 km across 32 provinces and cities, connecting the Huu Nghi Border Gate in Lang Son to Ca Mau. The first section, Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong, commenced construction in December 2004. However, by early 2023, only 1,200 km of the project had been completed. Implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party, the Government, the Ministry of Transport , and the localities through which the expressway passes are focusing their efforts on construction with the goal of completing the entire North-South Expressway by 2025.

The Nghi Son - Dien Chau section of the North-South Expressway project passes through Thanh Hoa province for 6.5km and Nghe An province for 43.5km. Photo: Hoang Ha

On July 16th, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project, the longest road in the Mekong Delta, located on the North-South expressway axis, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the involvement of ministries, sectors, and localities, especially the Ministry of Transport, in implementing expressway projects. Accordingly, project management boards and contractors have shown determination and actively innovated their thinking and working methods, overcoming challenges, weathering the storms, and conquering the pandemic. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that with the current mobilization of sufficient resources, the entire North-South expressway will be completed by 2025, and this goal is entirely feasible. The Prime Minister emphasized that the North-South expressway, with its large traffic capacity, high speed, and safety, will contribute to meeting transportation needs, creating a ripple effect, momentum, and potential for socio-economic development in the localities. The opening of the 160km section of the North-South Expressway passing through Binh Thuan province (including Phan Thiet - Dau Giay and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet) at the end of April has created a strong highlight for the entire province in general, and the tourism and transportation sectors in particular. Since the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay Expressway opened, the number of tourists visiting Phan Thiet City for both tourism and exploration, experiencing the new expressway, has increased significantly. According to statistics, the number of tourists visiting Binh Thuan in the first six months of 2023 reached nearly 4.5 million. In June alone, it reached nearly 830,000 visitors. Revenue from tourism activities in the first six months reached over 11,300 billion VND, an increase of more than 2.5 times compared to the same period. The Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway, since its opening, has shortened travel time between central provinces and facilitated tourism connections to Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa). This presents a wide-open opportunity for Binh Thuan's "non-polluting industry," a province boasting many picturesque natural landscapes and particularly strong potential in coastal and island tourism. Chairman of the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee, Doan Anh Dung, emphasized that the advantages of the two expressways will help boost promotional activities and attract investors, businesses, and large corporations to the province, developing its three economic pillars: industry, tourism, and high-tech agriculture. "In addition, the province will successfully organize a series of events showcasing its image, people, and tourism, helping Binh Thuan take off in the coming time," Mr. Doan Anh Dung stressed.

The Mai Son-National Highway 45 expressway is creating momentum for socio-economic development, including tourism, in Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces. Photo: Hoang Ha

Dong Nai, the eastern gateway to Ho Chi Minh City, is also one of the southern economic centers, connecting the South Central region, the Central Highlands, and the entire Southeast region. The Long Thanh – Dau Giay and Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressways, after being put into operation, have brought significant economic benefits and immense social advantages, shortening travel time. At the same time, they have created a boost in inter-regional connectivity, and together with the North-South expressway, have opened up many investment opportunities in tourism and infrastructure, contributing to the strong development of industry, trade, and services. Furthermore, these two expressways also help alleviate traffic pressure on National Highway 1, creating conditions to attract investment and contributing to the full exploitation of the local potential and strengths… These two expressways, part of the North-South expressway, will also connect to the "super" Long Thanh airport. When the Long Thanh International Airport project is completed and put into operation, the role of the expressways will become even clearer. These two expressways not only connect road transport but also serve as gateways connecting the airport with the South Central and Central Highlands regions. Besides the existing Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway, the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay expressway, which has been operational for over two months, also plays a crucial role in the development of Dong Nai province and the Southern key economic region. This is because the expressway shortens travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to economic and tourism centers, opening up investment opportunities in the South Central region; addressing the need for passenger and freight transport between the central hub of the Southern key economic region, as well as from North to South. This is an important condition for attracting investment and contributing to the full exploitation of the potential and strengths of the localities. When serving as Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai province, Mr. Cao Tien Dung emphasized that the province has the greatest advantage in the Southeast region thanks to the two expressways, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay and Long Thanh - Dau Giay. These are two modern expressways connecting transportation with the Southern key economic region and the future Long Thanh International Airport, thus creating great development opportunities for Dong Nai.

Expressway through Dong Nai province. Photo: Hoang Anh

Mr. Nguyen Van Vu (residing in My Hoi commune, Cao Lanh district, Dong Thap province) shared that people always hope that the roads connecting Dong Thap province with other localities in the Mekong Delta region will be more numerous, wider, and more convenient.

“With new roads, agricultural products from farmers in Dong Thap and other provinces will reach further, creating greater opportunities for us to travel, exchange, trade, and engage in cultural exchange within the region and with Ho Chi Minh City. The continuous commencement of expressways is a source of joy for the people of the Mekong Delta,” said Mr. Vu.

Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Thanh Binh, stated that the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project passing through the province is a nationally important project, with inter-regional significance and a major impact on socio-economic development and national defense and security in the Mekong Delta region in general and An Giang province in particular. The project also makes a significant contribution to achieving the goal of developing a synchronous transportation infrastructure.

According to experts, the expressways already underway in the Mekong Delta will activate satellite cities, expand the space for industrial and logistics development, and shorten the time for transporting goods between localities. This will transform the entire region, creating momentum for it to unleash its potential, develop its socio-economic potential, and become a dynamic and efficient economic center in the country.

Authors: Ngo Huyen, Hoang Anh, Hoai Thanh, Nhu Sy

Design: Pham Luyen

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