Transport infrastructure and inter-regional connectivity

Transport infrastructure development plays a key role in promoting regional economies, enhancing connectivity and opening up new opportunities in trade and tourism. However, in addition to the obvious benefits, expressways such as Noi Bai – Lao Cai and Dong Dang – Tra Linh also pose challenges in terms of effective exploitation, synchronous connectivity and sustainable development.

Leverage for supply chains and regional economies

The expressway system not only shortens geographical distances but also reduces transportation costs, expands economic development space and optimizes logistics supply chains. The 245 km Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, put into operation in 2014, has helped reduce travel time from Hanoi to Lao Cai from 7 hours to about 3.5 hours. This not only promotes import and export activities through Lao Cai border gate but also facilitates domestic freight transport, reduces logistics costs and enhances business competitiveness.

However, logistics infrastructure in Lao Cai is still limited. Transportation costs account for a high proportion of product costs, reducing the competitiveness of local goods. Therefore, investment in synchronous and modern logistics infrastructure is necessary to maximize the benefits of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway.

The Dong Dang – Tra Linh Expressway, which started construction in early 2024, with a length of 93.35 km and a total investment of more than VND14,114 billion, is expected to connect Lang Son and Cao Bang with key economic regions. When completed, this route will remove traffic “bottlenecks”, promote border trade and attract investment. However, as of March 2025, the construction progress has only reached about 19%, behind schedule due to problems in site clearance and lack of construction materials.

Challenges in inter-regional exploitation and connectivity

Despite the benefits of expressways, there are still limitations in connectivity and operation. The lack of a synchronous connection system is a notable issue. The Noi Bai – Lao Cai expressway has not been extended to the Lao Cai international border gate, causing disruptions in the flow of goods with China. To address this issue, the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway project has been proposed, with a design speed of 160 km/h, to more effectively connect key economic regions and reduce logistics costs.

High operating and maintenance costs are also a major challenge. After nearly 10 years of operation, the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway has shown signs of deterioration in some sections, with peeling pavement and potholes, but maintenance work has been delayed due to limited funding. Without a sustainable financial mechanism, operational efficiency will be significantly affected.

In addition, the impact on the local economy is uneven. Although the expressway has helped Lao Cai and Sa Pa develop strongly, many districts along the route have not really benefited due to the lack of an internal transport system and appropriate investment attraction policies. This is also a challenge for Cao Bang when the Dong Dang - Tra Linh route comes into operation.

Solutions to improve the efficiency of exploiting inter-regional transport infrastructure

For expressways to truly become a driving force for economic development, there needs to be a synchronous strategy from planning, investment to operation. First of all, it is necessary to soon study the plan to extend the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway to the international border gate, and at the same time invest in branch routes connecting Dong Dang - Tra Linh to key economic zones of Cao Bang. Completing the transport network will help improve synchronization, creating favorable conditions for trade and investment.

In addition, it is necessary to build a sustainable financial mechanism for highway operation and maintenance. The State should promote the attraction of socialized capital and deploy non-stop automatic toll collection solutions to optimize revenue sources and reduce losses. Investment in modern logistics infrastructure in border economic zones such as Lao Cai should also be prioritized to reduce transportation costs and improve supply chain efficiency.

In addition, there should be policies to support local economic development along the highways. Instead of focusing only on major tourist centers such as Sa Pa and Lao Cai, businesses should be encouraged to invest in neighboring districts, develop logistics systems, and trade and services to increase the economic value of the region. At the same time, models of eco-tourism and green agriculture development along the highways should also be implemented to limit negative impacts on the environment.

The inter-regional expressway system is not only a transport infrastructure but also an important lever to promote the economy, trade and tourism. However, to exploit it effectively, it is necessary to have a long-term development strategy, ensure synchronous connectivity, sustainable exploitation and minimize negative impacts. If these are well implemented, the expressways will not only bring immediate economic benefits but also create a solid foundation for the sustainable development of key economic regions.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ha-tang-giao-thong-va-bai-toan-ket-noi-lien-vung-post868763.html