According to VEC's leadership, collecting tolls on the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway as soon as possible is an urgent requirement to ensure investment efficiency, stable operation, and financial security. This is also the main and only source of revenue for VEC to fulfill its obligations to repay principal and interest on ODA loans and maintain the operation of other expressways under its management.
Because the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway passes through many complex terrains and includes many large-scale engineering works such as river bridges and pedestrian underpasses, the maintenance, management, and operating costs are very high. Without tolls, VEC would lack the funds for regular maintenance and repairs, potentially leading to traffic safety hazards.
Regarding the 2,000 VND/km toll fee for the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway, a representative from VEC stated that this financial plan has been approved by the Ministry of Construction (formerly the Ministry of Transport). This ensures a balance between the affordability of the people and the financial requirements of the enterprise. The proposed price adjustment cycle is every 3 years, with each increase being 12%.
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VEC proposes charging a toll of 2,000 VND/km for the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway. Photo: Trong Tai. |
The classification of vehicles subject to tolls will be based on Government Decree 130/2024. The official toll collection date will be publicly announced in accordance with the regulations in Circular 34/2024 of the Ministry of Transport on the operation of road toll stations.
The Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway project, part of the North-South East Expressway construction project, commenced in July 2014 with VEC as the investor. It has a total length of nearly 58 km, passing through Long An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Nai provinces. Initially, the project had a total investment of VND 31,300 billion, but this has now been reduced to over VND 29,500 billion, utilizing ODA loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and domestic counterpart funds.
The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway has 4 lanes for traffic, 2 emergency stopping lanes, and a maximum speed of 100 km/h. This is the largest expressway project in the South, connecting the Eastern and Southwestern regions of Vietnam.
In February, during the Lunar New Year holiday, sections from Km0 to Km 3+420 and from Km 50+530 to Km 57+581 of the expressway were put into temporary operation. This past April, the section from Km 3+420 to Km 21+850 of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway was put into operation.
The entire expressway is expected to be completed in 2026.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/de-xuat-thu-phi-cao-toc-ben-luc-long-thanh-post1739490.tpo
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