Synchronous transport infrastructure - the 'push' to develop the East of Ho Chi Minh City

A series of key transport projects such as highways, beltways, and river bridges are creating a strong “boost” for the East of Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to removing regional connectivity bottlenecks, turning this area into a vibrant gateway for economy and sea tourism.

Breakthrough in transport infrastructure, creating inter-regional connections

In the socio-economic development picture of the Southeast region, Ba Ria - Vung Tau (now part of Ho Chi Minh City) emerged as a bright spot with advantages in seaports, oil and gas, and island tourism. However, the rapid development of economy, industry, and tourism has gradually overloaded the old infrastructure.

To solve this bottleneck, a series of key projects and works have been and are being implemented, creating a synchronous traffic system, opening up strong breakthrough opportunities for this area.

Notably, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway is nearly 54 km long, with a total investment of more than 17,800 billion VND, of which the third section through the old Ba Ria - Vung Tau province has been basically completed and technically opened to traffic last April.

When completed, this route will shorten the travel time from Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City center to Vung Tau beach, and reduce the pressure on National Highway 51, which is often congested. This is considered an important driving force to bring tourists and goods to Cai Mep - Thi Vai port more conveniently.

In parallel, the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 project is also being implemented. When the ring road is completed, connecting goods from the Western and Southeastern provinces to Ba Ria - Vung Tau seaport will be quick, saving logistics costs.

One of the biggest advantages of Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old) is the Cai Mep - Thi Vai deep-water port system. This is a rare port cluster in Vietnam that can receive ships with a capacity of over 200,000 tons, directly going to Europe and the US without transit. However, to fully exploit the potential, the traffic connecting the port with the logistics rear needs to be invested more strongly.

Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, component 3 project through Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (old) has been basically completed and opened to technical traffic last April. Photo: Thanh Hue

Projects such as the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, the Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway, or the upgrade of National Highway 51 all aim at this goal. When the supply chain of goods is smooth, the East of Ho Chi Minh City will become the "seaport capital" not only of the region but also of the whole country.

In addition, the key traffic project Phuoc An bridge with a total investment of nearly 4,900 billion VND is being accelerated in construction progress. When completed, it will directly connect Cai Mep - Thi Vai area with Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway (Dong Nai).

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, contributing to reducing pressure on National Highway 51, while completing the national logistics system and promoting regional economic development.

The old coastal route DT 994 Vung Tau - Binh Thuan (now Lam Dong province) is being expanded and upgraded, creating a continuous coastal tourism axis. Photo: Thanh Hue

Not only focusing on inter-regional connectivity, Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old) also prioritizes investment in intra-provincial transport infrastructure. The coastal route DT 994 Vung Tau - Binh Thuan (now Lam Dong province) is being expanded and upgraded, creating a continuous coastal tourism axis, connecting high-end resorts in Ho Tram. This is considered the "golden route" that brings tourists to fully experience the beauty of the blue sea, white sand, and golden sunshine of the locality.

In addition, projects such as Highway 991B connecting Cai Mep Port with Highway 51 contribute to completing the transportation network, serving both economic and tourism development.

Strategic vision, helping the East of Ho Chi Minh City take off

Synchronous transport infrastructure not only reduces transportation costs, improves the competitiveness of goods, but also opens up a large space for coastal tourism in Ho Chi Minh City. In particular, Bai Sau Vung Tau is considered a famous beach with a large number of visitors every weekend and Tet holiday. When Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway is put into use, the number of visitors is expected to increase dramatically thanks to shortened travel time and greater safety.

In the long term, convenient connections to Long Thanh airport and inter-regional expressways will help the East of Ho Chi Minh City reach out to the international market. Beautiful beaches that still retain their wild beauty such as Ho Tram and Binh Chau will attract strategic investors in the fields of resorts, entertainment, and casinos, creating a regional-class destination.

Along with that, the development of seaport infrastructure will lead to the demand for logistics services, trade, and supporting industries. Industrial zones such as Phu My and Chau Duc are expected to become centers for attracting FDI capital thanks to convenient connections with the port system and highways. The parallel between seaport industry and sea tourism will create a balance and sustainable development for the locality.

According to the plan, by 2030, Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old) strives to become an international seaport center, a logistics service center of the country, and a leading sea tourism destination in Southeast Asia. To realize this goal, completing a synchronous transport infrastructure is a prerequisite.

The transport infrastructure system of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (old) has been invested in and completed, promoting economic and tourism development. Photo: Quang Hung

Synchronous transport infrastructure is the “golden key” to open the door for the East of Ho Chi Minh City to break through. When the expressways, river bridges and coastal routes come into operation synchronously, it will not only solve the connectivity problem but also elevate the position on the economic and sea tourism map of the region.

With a strategic vision and projects that have been and are being implemented, the Eastern area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City is gradually realizing its aspiration to become a maritime economic center and international tourist destination in the next decade.

Quang Hung

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ha-tang-giao-thong-dong-bo-cu-hich-dua-phia-dong-tp-hcm-phat-trien-2441731.html