Two options proposed for expanding the North-South Expressway (Eastern section).

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh recently chaired a meeting on investment plans for expanding the North-South Expressway in the East.

Two options for expanding the highway have been proposed.

Reporting on the investment research status, Mr. Dinh Cong Minh, Director of the Thang Long Project Management Board (the investor in the investment preparation phase), stated that, based on a review and assessment of the current status of the entire North-South Expressway in the East from Lang Son to Ca Mau, to suit transportation needs, the approved road network plan, and to comply with technical standards and regulations for expressways, ensuring no overlap with projects currently under research and investment implementation, two options have been proposed for study.

Option 1 involves expanding sections with high transport demand and ensuring continuity and effective connectivity. These sections, which need immediate expansion, include the sections from Mai Son to Bai Vot and Nha Trang to Dau Giay, with a total length of approximately 534km. The remaining sections will be studied for investment and expansion after 2030.

According to this plan, the preliminary total investment is approximately 63,411 billion VND. Of this, the expansion for the 5 component projects invested under the public investment model (Mai Son - National Highway 45; National Highway 45 - Nghi Son; Nghi Son - Dien Chau; Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet; Phan Thiet - Dau Giay) is approximately 38,158 billion VND.

The expansion for the 3 component projects invested under the PPP method amounts to approximately VND 25,253 billion (total investment including interest).

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh delivers a directive speech at the meeting - Photo: VGP

Option 2 involves studying the expansion of the entire route from Mai Son to Cam Lo and from Quang Ngai to Dau Giay, with a total length of approximately 1,144km, to ensure seamless connectivity between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, meeting expressway standards and maximizing the route's importance within the North-South economic corridor.

According to the plan, the preliminary total investment is approximately VND 154,246 billion, including: the expansion of 15 component projects invested under the public investment model, amounting to approximately VND 128,994 billion; and the expansion of 3 component projects invested under the PPP model, amounting to approximately VND 25,253 billion (total investment includes interest). The sections within the study area will be expanded to a full 6-lane expressway according to the plan, with a design speed of 100-120 km/h.

Regarding the investment method, based on an analysis of advantages and disadvantages, the Transport Engineering Design Consulting Corporation (TEDI) proposes public investment for 15 component projects that have already been implemented under the public investment model.

The group of component projects that have been invested in under the PPP method are proposed to continue expanding their implementation under the PPP method with support from the state budget, ensuring the efficiency of the projects with a toll collection period for capital recovery of less than 24 years, ensuring compliance with legal regulations and feasibility and convenience in the implementation process.

Without state budget funding, the payback period for these projects is prolonged and difficult to implement. Specifically, the estimated time for toll collection to recoup the investment is 28-40 years.

Preparations are underway to invest in expanding the first section of the expressway as early as 2027.

Minister Tran Hong Minh requested that the upgrading and expansion of the North-South Expressway (Eastern section) must be carried out synchronously with the phased investment projects from Mai Son to Ho Chi Minh City.

Accordingly, project management and consulting units need to continue refining the research report to provide an overall picture of the investment/investment preparation situation of the component projects on the Eastern North-South Expressway from Cao Bang to Ca Mau. At the same time, it is necessary to clarify the investment necessity, transportation needs, current operational status, and forecast future traffic growth after the East-West (horizontal) expressways are completed, put into operation, and connected to the North-South Expressway.

"It is necessary to carefully assess the impact of the highway expansion on the regional and national economy to clarify the reasons for proposing the investment, thereby providing a basis for proposing an investment plan," the Minister noted.

Agreeing on the proposal to study the investment in expanding 15 sections of the North-South Expressway from Mai Son to Cam Lo and from Quang Ngai to Dau Giay under the form of public investment, and then implementing toll collection to repay the state budget capital invested in the project (as stipulated in Decree 130/2024/ND-CP dated October 10, 2024), the Minister requested relevant units to urgently complete the dossiers to submit to the Government and the Prime Minister for consideration and reporting to the National Assembly for approval of the investment policy, as a basis for completing the procedures related to starting the expansion at the beginning of 2027 with the component projects of the North-South Expressway Eastern section project giai đoạn 2017 - 2020 (the warranty period for the works has now expired).

Other component projects require thorough investment preparation so that after the contractor's stipulated warranty period ends, a contractor can be selected and expansion can commence immediately.

Regarding the three component projects that received investment during the 2017-2020 period under the PPP model, the Minister requested that priority be given to investors to study and balance resources for implementation. If existing investors are unable to carry out the projects, consideration will be given to proposing public investment and adjusting the financial plan and the toll collection period for capital recovery.

"The upgrade and expansion should be completed by the end of 2030," the Minister instructed.

The agency in charge of preparing for the investment in upgrading and expanding the North-South Expressway (Eastern section) needs to promptly study the scope of responsibilities to be assigned to project management boards under the Ministry during construction. The specialized management agency needs to promptly review and assess the quality and screen contractors to ensure that the selection of contractors for the project meets the required capacity and schedule; simultaneously, it should promptly study technical design solutions to ensure consistent quality during the expansion.

Fifteen component projects on the Eastern North-South Expressway are being funded by public investment in the first phase (phase 1), including: Mai Son - National Highway 45; National Highway 45 - Nghi Son; Nghi Son - Dien Chau; Bai Vot - Ham Nghi; Ham Nghi - Vung Ang; Vung Ang - Bung; Bung - Van Ninh; Van Ninh - Cam Lo; Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon; Hoai Nhon - Quy Nhon; Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh; Chi Thanh - Van Phong; Van Phong - Nha Trang; Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet; and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay.

Three component projects on the Eastern North-South Expressway are being invested in under the PPP method in phases: Dien Chau - Bai Vot; Nha Trang - Cam Lam; and Cam Lam - Vinh Hao.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/de-xuat-2-phuong-an-mo-rong-cao-toc-bac---nam-phia-dong-d611150.html