Proposal to expand the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway to 6 lanes.

TPO - After more than a decade of operation, the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway is severely overloaded, with traffic volume increasing by an average of over 10% annually. The Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) has just submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister, requesting to be assigned as the managing agency to expand this route from 4 to 6 lanes.

According to VEC, the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway (Km210+000 - Km260+030), 50 km long, was put into operation in 2012 with 4 lanes. After more than 10 years of operation, the traffic volume on the route has increased by an average of more than 10% each year, causing frequent traffic congestion, especially during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).

VEC assesses that the expressway is currently at full capacity and risks becoming a "bottleneck" on the eastern North-South expressway axis, as the connecting sections at both ends, namely Phap Van - Cau Gie and Cao Bo - Mai Son, have both been or are being expanded to 6 lanes.

The Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway has reached its capacity limit.

Specifically, surveys show that on the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway, the Dai Xuyen - Phu Thu section (Km210+000 - Km226+200) has exceeded its traffic capacity by 20-40%; the Phu Thu - Cao Bo section (Km226+200 - Km260+030) has also reached its capacity limit and needs to be upgraded immediately after 2027.

Mr. Truong Viet Dong, Chairman of the Board of Members of VEC, said that the synchronized expansion of this expressway will help improve the operational capacity of the entire Eastern North-South route, while maximizing the effectiveness of public investment and creating momentum for economic growth.

"Allocating a portion of the state budget to the project will help enhance the role of state-owned enterprises, improve the efficiency of capital utilization, and contribute to the goal of achieving GDP growth of 8% or higher," Mr. Dong emphasized.

According to the proposal, VEC suggests phasing the project investment to suit transportation needs and capital mobilization capabilities: Phase 1 (until 2027) will expand the entire route to 6 lanes, meeting operational needs until 2038; Phase 2 (after 2038) will further expand to 10 lanes, in accordance with the national road network plan.

The total investment for phase 1 is approximately 3,013 billion VND, of which construction costs exceed 2,000 billion VND.

VEC has just proposed to the Prime Minister that it be assigned as the managing agency for expanding the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway from 4 to 6 lanes. Photo: VEC.

Based on the Law on Management and Investment of State Capital in Enterprises (2025), VEC can mobilize a maximum of approximately VND 115,854 billion, which is sufficient to implement expansion projects, including the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh route.

According to the plan, the project will commence in the third quarter of 2026 and be completed and put into operation in the fourth quarter of 2027, or as directed by the Prime Minister.

VEC leaders affirmed that the synchronized expansion of the Cau Gie - Ninh Binh route will not only eliminate traffic bottlenecks but also increase transport capacity, promote socio-economic development in the northern region, and improve the operational efficiency of the entire North-South expressway.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/de-xuat-mo-rong-cao-toc-cau-gie-ninh-binh-len-6-lan-xe-post1791023.tpo