Nearly 200 km of highway lacks toilets.

With no rest stops along the nearly 200-kilometer stretch, drivers on the highway through Dong Nai and Binh Thuan provinces have to relieve themselves right by the roadside, posing a potential safety risk.

On February 16th, Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, 58 years old, owner of the free public toilets in Hamlet 2, Ham Liem Commune, Ham Thuan Bac District ( Binh Thuan Province ), dismantled the staircase that crossed the fence of the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway leading to his plot of land, which is over 5,000 square meters. After the project became operational in May 2023, seeing many people in cars having to urinate by the roadside, he expanded his family's toilet facility next to the expressway and installed a staircase for customers to access and use free of charge.

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"Due to regulations violations and safety concerns, the local authorities requested that the escalator be removed," Mr. Duc said, adding that even after the escalator was dismantled, many people still stopped their vehicles to use the restroom because the hundreds of kilometers long highway lacked rest stops.

Mr. Le Quang Khoi, a truck driver on the Ho Chi Minh City – Khanh Hoa route, said that the lack of rest stops along the long stretch from Dau Giay to Vinh Hao is very inconvenient for drivers. Because driving from Ho Chi Minh City to Binh Thuan, drivers are already tired and need places to eat, use the restroom, and rest to regain their strength for the next leg of the journey.

The expressway from Dau Giay to Vinh Hao, nearly 200 km long, has no rest stops. Graphic: Khanh Hoang

Inaugurated in mid-2023, the two sections of the Dau Giay - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Vinh Hao expressways, with a total length of nearly 200 km, facilitate travel and shorten travel time from Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai to Binh Thuan. However, after nearly 10 months of operation, the aforementioned route still lacks rest stops, causing difficulties for drivers and passengers.

Mr. Tran Ngoc Hien, Vice Chairman of the Ham Thuan Bac District People's Committee, said that after the closure of the illegally constructed public toilets in the area, the local authorities proposed that the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway Project Management Board install directional signs before the Ma Lam intersection (about 10 km from the recently closed toilets). This would help drivers needing to turn onto National Highway 28 to rest, eat, use the restroom, or refuel.

"Near the Ma Lam intersection on National Highway 28, there are gas stations, restaurants, and a large, safe parking area for vehicles to stop. After resting, drivers can drive their cars back onto the access road, rejoin the expressway, and continue their journey," Mr. Hien said.

A driver pulled over to the emergency lane of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressway in Ham Thuan Bac district to relieve himself on the afternoon of February 16th. Photo: Tu Huynh.

However, the long-term solution remains the construction of rest stops along the highway. Previously, the Ministry of Transport had planned for three rest stops along the route, all located in Binh Thuan province (Ham Tan, Ham Thuan Bac, and Tuy Phong). Each stop would cover 5 hectares and provide full services including fuel, food, rest, shopping, and entertainment, strategically placed on both sides of the road to serve vehicles traveling in both north-south directions.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Huy, Director of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway Project Management Board, said that the Vietnam Expressway Authority has preliminarily selected qualified investors to bid for the construction of rest stops on this section, with construction expected to begin in the second quarter of this year. "If the land is handed over by the local authorities early, the rest stops will be implemented according to schedule," Mr. Huy said.

Driver urinates on the highway because there are no restrooms.

Cars stop along the emergency lane so people can get out to use the restroom on the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet highway section passing through Ham Thuan Bac district, February 16. Video: Tu Huynh

According to the Highway Design Standards, on average, a rest stop should be located every 50-60 km, providing basic services such as fuel, minor repairs, and vehicle stopping, along with rest areas, restrooms, and food outlets.

Besides the route from Dau Giay to Vinh Hao, several other sections of expressways across the country have been opened or are about to be put into operation, but lack rest stops. A representative from the Ministry of Transport stated that the reason is that previous legal regulations regarding investment and operation of rest stops were incomplete, making it difficult to invest in rest stops through public-private partnerships and preventing their synchronized operation with some expressway sections.

Brother Tu Huynh

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