Mobilizing resources to expand the Ho Chi Minh City

The Prime Minister has instructed the Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) to mobilize resources to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway.

On June 23, the Government Office conveyed the Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's opinion on the implementation of nationally important and key transportation projects. The State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises was assigned to direct the Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) to mobilize resources to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway.

Previously, in October 2022, VEC proposed allocating 14,700 billion VND to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway to 8-10 lanes. VEC recommended that the Ministry of Transport assign the investment to expand the section from the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 2 interchange to the interchange with the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway, a distance of 21.9 km. Specifically, the section from the Ring Road 2 interchange to Ring Road 3 would be expanded to 8 lanes; and the section from Ring Road 3 to the interchange with the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway would be expanded to 10 lanes.

The preliminary total investment is VND 14,780 billion (excluding interest during the construction period), of which construction costs are nearly VND 10,800 billion, land acquisition costs are nearly VND 800 billion, project management, consulting and other costs are over VND 1,000 billion, and contingency costs are over VND 2,100 billion. The implementation period is from Q4 2022 to Q1 2026.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway was heavily congested on the morning of April 29, 2023. Photo: Phuoc Tuan — The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway was heavily congested on the morning of April 29, 2023. Photo: *Phuoc Tuan*

Seven years ago, the 55-kilometer Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway was put into operation, with an investment of over 20,600 billion VND. The route helps connect transportation and the economy between Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast and Central Highlands regions. Traffic volume has continuously increased, averaging about 10% per year. Currently, the four-lane expressway is already overloaded.

The Prime Minister agreed to add the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway project to the list of nationally important projects, and urged localities to accelerate the progress of other expressway projects.

Specifically, Thai Binh province is accelerating the appraisal and approval of the investment plan for the Nam Dinh - Thai Binh expressway. Binh Phuoc province has completed the pre-feasibility study for the Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh expressway. Lang Son province is accelerating the appraisal and approval of the feasibility study report for the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang project, to be completed in June. Cao Bang province is also completing the appraisal and approval of the feasibility study for the Dong Dang - Tra Linh project as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the provinces and cities to support contractors in completing procedures with local authorities to exploit construction material mines and construct the North-South expressway in the 2021-2025 period; and to provide guidance on compensation and support for affected land areas and structures outside the land clearance scope.

Regarding the Hanoi Capital Region's Ring Road 4 project, which commenced construction last weekend, the Prime Minister criticized Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces for their slow progress in preparing the technical design and cost estimates for the project's components. Therefore, the two provinces need to urgently complete the preparation, appraisal, and approval of the technical design for the two component projects: compensation, support, and resettlement; and the construction of the parallel road (urban road) within each province's territory.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment needs to promptly approve the environmental impact assessment reports for the land clearance component projects of the Ring Road 4 project in the Hanoi metropolitan area.

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