Will the North-South Expressway operating system be able to collect tolls by early 2026?

Project management boards need to review and develop overall and detailed construction progress for each construction and equipment package of the North-South Expressway Project's monitoring and control system.

The North-South Expressway project, Vung Ang-Bung section, has been put into operation. (Photo: Khanh Hung/Vietnam+)

Currently, the progress of implementing investment in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), toll stations, and vehicle load inspection in North-South Expressway component projects is still slow, not meeting the requirements of the leaders of the Ministry of Construction . If not resolutely implemented, there is a risk of difficulty in collecting tolls on the North-South Expressway from the beginning of 2026.

Progress is deeply delayed

According to the report of the Department of Economics - Construction Investment Management, for the 5 North-South Expressway component projects with public investment in the 2017-2020 period, the construction progress of 4/5 component projects is currently (4-14.8)% behind schedule, expected to be completed by the end of October 2025.

Specifically, the Mai Son-National Highway 45 expressway project has an output of about 88%, 12% behind schedule due to problems with site clearance at Thieu Giang intersection; National Highway 45-Nghi Son has an output of about 85.2%, 14.8% behind schedule due to problems with weak soil treatment and site clearance at Nghi Son intersection; Nghi Son-Dien Chau has an output of about 90%, 10% behind schedule; Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet has an output of about 96%, 4% behind schedule due to slow site clearance for turning roads at 3 intersections (Ma Lam, Dai Ninh and Cho Lau).

The North-South Expressway must have a traffic monitoring and control system if it wants to collect tolls. (Photo: Viet Hung/Vietnam+)

Up to now, the equipment supply packages of the National Highway 45-Nghi Son, Nghi Son-Dien Chau, Phan Thiet-Dau Giay component projects have imported and assembled 100% of the equipment; the remaining 2 component projects have imported and assembled (90-98%) of the equipment. Currently, the contractors of the 3 component projects including Nghi Son-Dien Chau, Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet-Dau Giay are installing equipment at the site; the remaining 2 component projects Mai Son-National Highway 45, National Highway 45-Nghi Son are constructing cable routing and have not yet installed equipment at the site.

For the 12 North-South Expressway component projects in the 2021-2025 period, progress is very slow compared to the direction of the Ministry of Construction, although contractor selection and construction have been completed.

Accordingly, the construction of 3 component projects of Vung Ang-Bung, Bung-Van Ninh, Quang Ngai -Hoai Nhon sections has been implemented (75 days late); 9/12 is expected to complete contractor selection from October 31 to November 20, 2025 (90-110 days late). The package for providing shared software will complete the bidding on September 30, 2025 (60 days late).

In addition, the end-to-end toll collection system and the Road Traffic Electronic Payment Database Management System opened for bidding on October 21, selected a contractor on October 28, and signed a contract on October 31, 2025 (90 days late).

Affirming that project management boards seriously review the responsibilities of related organizations and individuals, the leader of the Department of Construction Investment Economics and Management said that the Directors of project management boards are responsible to the Minister if the system is not completed before December 31, 2025.

The milestone must be completed by the end of this year.

In order to speed up the progress in the coming time, the Department of Economics and Construction Investment Management requires project management boards to speed up the implementation progress to soon complete construction packages; Thang Long Project Management Board coordinates with relevant units to study and supplement toll station designs (if necessary) to overcome the shortcomings due to the Cao Bo-Mai Son section not yet implementing the design and construction of toll stations; direct contractors to urgently deploy equipment installation work at the site.

Project management boards need to review and develop a general and detailed construction schedule for each bid package and each work item and have solutions to speed up construction progress to compensate for the slow progress, ensuring the completion of construction packages before November 30, and the completion of equipment and software supply packages before December 31, 2025; focus on directing contractors to prioritize the completion of the toll collection system, ensuring it can operate from January 1, 2026.

An intelligent traffic system operation center has been put into operation. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

In cases of package price overruns, project management boards promptly handle the bidding situation according to regulations, ensuring early completion of contractor selection and contract signing. The Department of Economics - Construction Investment Management, Vietnam Road Administration and Information Technology Center coordinate to support project management boards in reviewing the package price and approved bidding documents (if necessary) in handling the situation of package price overruns.

For the Van Ninh-Cam Lo Component Project, the Ho Chi Minh City Project Management Board will coordinate with relevant units to research, promptly adjust and supplement toll station designs (if necessary) to overcome existing problems due to the Cam Lo-La Son section not yet implementing the design and construction of toll stations.

According to Vietnam+

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/tin-tuc/202511/he-thong-dieu-hanh-cao-toc-bac-nam-co-kip-thu-phi-vao-dau-nam-2026-6441aed/