Completing transport infrastructure, soon turning Quang Tri into a new growth pole in logistics

QTO - With the advantage of being strategically located on the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) from strategic traffic axes, Quang Tri is focusing its investment resources on developing and completing a synchronous and modern traffic infrastructure system. This is considered an important foundation for the locality to soon become a new growth pole in logistics services, creating momentum for trade, industry and tourism in the Central region.

Báo Quảng Trị•01/12/2025

Expanding development space

July 1, 2025 marks a historic turning point when the two provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Tri merge, opening a new development phase for the locality. With its special geo-economic position, Quang Tri after the merger promises to become a strategic "transit point" of the region with a large-scale economic model based on transportation advantages on the North-South and East-West axes.

With a natural area of over 12,700km² and a population of about 1.87 million people, Quang Tri has a diverse transportation network including roads, railways, sea routes, waterways and airways. Among them are key traffic routes such as National Highway 1, Ho Chi Minh Road, National Highways 9, 12A, 15D; North-South Expressway and 3 international border gates: Cha Lo, Lao Bao and La Lay.

In addition, major projects are being implemented such as My Thuy Port Area, Hon La International General Port, Dong Hoi Airport in operation and Quang Tri Airport under construction. This is an important foundation to create an inter-regional and international connection network, a focal point to attract investment, trade, cultural exchange, and attract domestic and foreign tourists .

National Highway 15D to La Lay International Border Gate currently has a large volume of heavy vehicles and needs to be upgraded and repaired - Photo: Le Truong

According to the report of the Department of Construction, in terms of roads, Quang Tri currently has 16 national highways with a total length of 622km, 46 provincial roads with a length of 678km; 7 national inland waterways with a total length of 231km and 11 inland waterways with a total length of 137km. Regarding the seaport and inland waterway system, Quang Tri owns Hon La seaport, Cua Viet port, Gianh port in operation and My Thuy seaport under investment and construction.

Speaking to reporters, Director of the Department of Construction Truong Chi Trung said that despite investment in construction over the past years, the province's transport infrastructure system still has many limitations. Notably, the inter-regional transport infrastructure is still weak, so it has not really been effective in promoting regional and international connectivity.

Therefore, with the view that transport infrastructure is the foundation for expanding development space, the "key" to help localities promote the advantages of the EWEC gateway, in the period of 2025-2030, the province will prioritize resources to develop and complete the transport infrastructure system in a synchronous and modern direction, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development. In particular, focusing on implementing well the coordination of key national projects such as: High-speed railway; expanding Cam Lo-La Son expressway; prioritizing the construction and upgrading of inter-regional connecting routes and key infrastructure projects, including: National Highway 15D axis from My Thuy port to La Lay international border gate; National Highway 12A axis connecting Hon La port with Cha Lo international border gate; National Highway 9 axis connecting Cua Viet port with Lao Bao international border gate; My Thuy port; Dong Hoi airport; Quang Tri Airport... At the same time, continue to integrate and diversify resources, promote public-private cooperation, improve investment efficiency, management, operation and infrastructure maintenance.

According to Mr. Trung, upgrading three inter-regional traffic axes will be an important premise for Quang Tri to build effective regional linkages with the North Central provinces, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, promoting local socio-economic development.

Quang Tri is making efforts to form the National Highway 12A corridor connecting Hon La port - Cha Lo international border gate - Photo: Le Truong

Complete infrastructure construction and maintenance

Based on that advantage, in recent years, Quang Tri has focused on investing, renovating and upgrading the transportation system, gradually forming a connection network to facilitate the transportation of goods, trade and attract investment.

With a length of about 67.7km from Km249+824 of the Ho Chi Minh Road West Branch, Dakrong Suspension Bridge section to La Lay International Border Gate, National Highway 15D is the road connecting to the southern provinces of Laos and Ubon Ratchathani Province (Thailand), forming an international traffic system called Para-EWEC Corridor. This is an important road traffic route, creating mutual support with EWEC through Lao Bao International Border Gate to create stronger regional connections not only for Quang Tri but also in the Central coastal region. Therefore, in recent times, Quang Tri has actively called for investment in projects to build and upgrade this vital traffic route.

Recently, 12 unsafe traffic locations on the route from Km0+760 to Km11+060 have been repaired by widening curves, paving, strengthening the road surface with asphalt concrete, adding retaining walls, reinforcing the slope, improving visibility and adding traffic safety systems... The total investment of the project is about 43.7 billion VND.

Road surface repair at the Km52+200 curve on National Highway 9 to Lao Bao International Border Gate - Photo: LT

Similarly, as a vital route on EWEC, National Highway 9 from Nam Dong Ha ward to Lao Bao commune with a length of 82.66 km is currently being repaired. Accordingly, there are 69 repair locations on the route in the section from Km4+040 to Km83+240 with 5 projects invested by Road Management Area II with a total investment of 217,043 billion VND from the state budget.

According to the Director of the Traffic Maintenance Management Board of the Department of Construction, Hoang Anh Quang, with its position as the eastern gateway of EWEC, Quang Tri is qualified to become a large-scale logistics center of the North Central region, reducing transportation costs, increasing competitiveness for businesses and promoting border trade. Therefore, the unit is focusing resources on maintaining and upgrading key routes such as National Highway 9, 15D and coastal roads, ensuring safe and smooth traffic, meeting the requirements of freight transport, connecting industrial parks, border gates and seaports.

“Along with new investments, the construction industry identifies maintenance, repair and effective exploitation of traffic works as a key task, ensuring that infrastructure promotes long-term investment efficiency. Completing infrastructure does not stop at construction, but also includes management, supervision, periodic maintenance, and prevention of damage and degradation, especially before and after the rainy and stormy season. Currently, the unit is coordinating with departments, branches and localities to apply digital technology in construction maintenance management, helping to monitor quality, warn of early damage and provide timely solutions. We consider this a long-term direction to improve the efficiency of public investment, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure that infrastructure is always ready to serve socio-economic development,” said Mr. Hoang Anh Quang.

The combination of new construction with sustainable maintenance is helping Quang Tri form a mindset for development and completion of modern and synchronous transport infrastructure, creating sustainable and safe transport routes, accompanying the development of local logistics, industry and tourism.

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