Nearly 7.7 trillion VND invested in upgrading the Yen Bai

Speaking to a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper , a representative of VEC said that according to the plan, the project to expand the Yen Bai - Lao Cai expressway section will commence on September 27th.

According to VEC representatives, the project aims to expand the section from Km123+080 to Km244+155, with a total length of 121.33 km; the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) component will be implemented along the entire route.

The project will expand the road from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, with a road surface width of 24 m; add a median strip to match the sections expanded in phase 1; and extend the pedestrian underpass to accommodate the 4-lane highway.

The Yen Bai - Lao Cai section of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway will be expanded from 2 to 4 lanes. Photo: Anh Tu.

The section of the Yen Bai - Lao Cai expressway will have an additional bridge unit constructed on the left side of the route, in sync with the existing bridge. Simultaneously, a study will be conducted on constructing a new tunnel approximately 530m long with 3 lanes, to accommodate the revised plan for 6 lanes along the entire route.

The total investment for the project is nearly 7,700 billion VND, of which 3,000 billion VND comes from the State budget; nearly 940 billion VND is VEC's own capital (including interest on loans during the construction period); and the remainder is additional capital mobilized by VEC.

Following the Prime Minister 's directive in document No. 624/TTg-CN dated May 30, 2025, the project to expand the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway will commence this year and be substantially completed in 2026.

The Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway is 264 km long, starting at the intersection of National Highway 2 and the Bac Thang Long - Noi Bai Expressway, and ending in Bat Xat commune (Lao Cai). The route passes through Hanoi, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, and Lao Cai; connecting with the Kunming - Hekou Expressway (China) and is an important component of the Kunming - Hanoi - Hai Phong Economic Corridor.

Phase 1 of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway project, spanning nearly 245 km, was invested in by VEC and completed and put into operation in 2014. Specifically, the Noi Bai - Yen Bai section was built with 4 lanes and a design speed of 100 km/h; the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section has 2 lanes and a design speed of 80 km/h.

The commissioning of this route has shortened the travel time between Hanoi and Lao Cai from 7 hours to 3.5 hours, opening up great opportunities for economic, social, and tourism development in the Northwest region, while also reducing pressure and accidents on national highways.

Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway. Photo: VEC.

In Phase 1, the Yen Bai - Lao Cai expressway was built with a 4-lane roadbed but only 2 lanes were in operation. Bridges, tunnels, and underpasses for local residents also only met the 2-lane standard. Some sections were later expanded to 4 lanes, and an electronic toll collection (ETC) system was installed. However, due to the lack of a median divider in many sections, there is a potential safety risk when traffic volume increases and operating speeds fall below the design capacity.

Statistics show that traffic volume on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway is increasing by an average of 10% per year. At its current scale, the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section will be overloaded by 2027. Therefore, early implementation of expansion is necessary to ensure safety, meet traffic demand, and align with the approved plan.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/gan-7700-ty-dong-len-doi-doan-cao-toc-yen-bai-lao-cai-post1779729.tpo