Proposing a special mechanism to expand the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh expressway to start construction on August 19

The project to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway section is proposed as an emergency construction project - Photo: Ta Hai

Reporting on the implementation of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway expansion project under the emergency construction project, Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) said that after being assigned by the Government as the managing agency, VEC has submitted a document to the Ministry of Finance proposing the structure of the State budget capital to participate in project investment, calculating specific financial plans, and the feasibility of the enterprise's capital balance ability.

Large scale project, complex construction conditions

According to VEC, this is a large-scale project with complex technical requirements and construction conditions (10km of soft soil treatment takes at least 8 months, 12km of bridge, construction must be carried out while ensuring traffic on the expressway in operation...).

If implemented in accordance with the procedures prescribed by law on public investment, construction, bidding, project implementation (including in cases where the form of contractor selection is applied in special cases), the project needs to carry out 3 steps to start construction, including: approval of investment policy; approval of investment project; approval of construction drawing design and estimate as the basis for selecting construction contractor.

With the above process, the project is expected to start construction on November 1, 2025 and basically be completed in December 2026. Long Thanh Bridge alone will be completed and put into use in June 2027.

In which, the work item that plays a decisive role in progress is the work of establishing, appraising and approving the environmental impact assessment because the project passes through two localities.

Construction to start on August 19 if procedures are shortened

Aiming to start the project on August 19 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day, September 2, based on research on current legal regulations, VEC proposed that the Government leaders consider and decide to allow the implementation of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway expansion project to apply 5 special mechanisms.

First, allow VEC to apply a shortened bidding process.

Second, allowing VEC to carry out the following procedures in parallel: survey, project establishment; construction drawing design, estimate; contractor selection; construction and other necessary work.

Third, the Prime Minister decided to separate the site clearance work into independent component projects and assign Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai to carry out. VEC will allocate capital to pay according to the needs and progress proposed by the locality.

Fourth, the People's Committee of the locality where the project passes through shall give priority to supporting the determination and agreement of the location of the dumping site, material gathering area, temporary wharf, temporary installation location of asphalt concrete mixing station, cement concrete and licensing procedures during the construction phase; Pay attention to arranging material sources, ensuring sufficient supply for the project during the construction implementation phase.

Fifth, VEC recommends that in case of force majeure (shortage of construction materials, difficulties in site clearance, natural disasters, epidemics, etc.), the Government allows adjustment of project time for the affected part.

In case the Prime Minister decides to apply the form of emergency construction works and allows the application of the above-mentioned special mechanisms, the project will have 5 favorable factors: No need to approve the investment policy; Immediately deploy the survey work, prepare the feasibility study report (no need to prepare the environmental impact assessment report), review the feasibility study report, and appraisal by the specialized construction agency to approve the project; Immediately deploy the site clearance work, and place stakes for site clearance.

At the same time, the survey and construction drawing design (2 steps) will be carried out in parallel with the project approval; Approval of construction drawings for each project item to organize implementation right on the construction site, both design and construction; Selecting construction contractors at the same time as the construction drawing design, shortening construction time.

In this case, it is expected that the project approval will be carried out in July 2025; Construction drawings for each part/item of the project will be approved from August 8; Construction contractor will be selected on August 13; Project will start on August 19, 2025.

According to the above route, the section from Ring Road 2 intersection to Ring Road 3 intersection (Km4+000 - Km8+844.5) will be expanded from 4 lanes to 8 lanes, construction will take 13 months, and will be completed in September 2026.

The section from Ring Road 3 intersection to Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway intersection (Km8+844.5 - Km25+920, excluding Long Thanh Bridge) will be expanded from 4 lanes to 10 lanes, construction will take 14 months, and will be completed in October 2026.

Long Thanh Bridge alone will be under construction for 20 months, with the main bridge to be completed in December 2026 and the remaining items to be completed in March 2027.

"Thus, if the investment is implemented in the form of an emergency construction project and some special mechanisms and support mechanisms are applied, the project will be shortened by 2.5 months to start construction on August 19 and basically completed in 2026," VEC said.

It is known that, based on the proposal of VEC, the Government Office recently (May 16) issued Official Dispatch No. 4279 to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Construction and VEC to convey the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha assigning the Ministry of Finance to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and relevant agencies to review and report to the Prime Minister before May 21, 2025.

Previous research by the Ministry of Construction showed that since its operation (2015 to the end of 2023), traffic volume on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway has continuously increased, averaging about 10.82% per year.

According to calculations, the transportation demand on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway, from An Phu intersection to Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway intersection (Km0 - Km25+920) is at full load with 4 lanes.

With the current scale of 4 lanes, the section from An Phu intersection to Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway intersection cannot meet the transportation demand, especially when Long Thanh International Airport phase 1 is put into operation. Researching and investing in expanding the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway project is very necessary and urgent.

Phan Trang

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/de-xuat-co-che-dac-thu-mo-rong-cao-toc-tphcm-long-thanh-de-khoi-cong-ngay-19-8-102250519110015689.htm