Suffering because of living near a highway construction site.

Component Project 2 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Construction Investment Project, Phase 1, has a total length of 18.2km, starting from Km16+000 at the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway interchange to Km34+200 in Phuoc Thai commune (the border between Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces). Of this, the section passing through Long Phuoc commune (Dong Nai province) is approximately 6km long. After more than two years of construction, the project remains unfinished, affecting the lives of many residents along the road.

The People's Committee of Long Phuoc commune has requested the People's Committee of Dong Nai province to work with Project Management Board 85 and the branch of Construction Corporation No. 1 - JSC on urgently repairing damaged sections of Bau Can road caused by material transport vehicles.

Business is slow because of the dust.

Mr. Luong Xuan Long's family runs a roadside eatery in Bau Can (Long Phuoc hamlet, Long Phuoc commune). Since the Bau Can overpass interchange, part of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway construction project, began construction, Mr. Long's restaurant has had to close due to dust and poor business. Because customers are not coming to the restaurant, Mr. Long has to deliver food to customers' homes. After more than two years of construction of the overpass interchange, the number of customers has decreased by half.

Vehicles passing through the construction site of the Bau Can overpass intersection (in Long Phuoc commune). Photo: Thuy Linh

"With the weather getting sunier these past few days, the construction site is very dusty. Since the project started, the construction company hasn't taken any measures to address the dust problem," Mr. Long said.

Local residents have complained that during the construction of the overpass intersection, the construction unit dug up the road and piled up soil haphazardly. During consecutive rainy days, the road surface becomes waterlogged and muddy, making traffic very difficult, especially during rush hour. Many trucks carrying construction materials, cars, and motorbikes crowd the narrow road, making it difficult to pass each other. Numerous accidents have occurred due to collisions caused by the slippery road. When the sun shines, dust flies everywhere, affecting the lives of residents along the road. Due to the dust and noise, most businesses along the road have closed because of poor sales.

At the intersection of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway and Road 68 in Phuoc Hoa hamlet, Long Phuoc commune, construction is also underway. Two high schools and Long Phuoc Secondary School are located along this route. Since the expressway construction began crossing Road 68, during peak hours, students going to school and workers commuting to work have to pass through the construction site, causing both traffic congestion and air pollution.

According to the design, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway section passing through Long Phuoc commune includes the construction of an overpass at the Bau Can intersection, crossing Road 68, Road Khu 2, and several small roads in the residential area. Currently, construction is progressing relatively slowly, causing difficulties for traffic flow.

Mr. Nguyen Tang Nguyen, a resident living near the construction site, suggested: "It is necessary to quickly build a service road to replace the local roads that have been cut off by the expressway, to facilitate traffic access to National Highway 51. People shouldn't have to share the construction site, which is very inconvenient."

Component Project 2 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Construction Investment Project, Phase 1, has a total investment of over 6,852 billion VND. The investor, Project Management Board 85 (under the Ministry of Construction ), is committed to completing the technical opening of the main route on December 19, 2025.

"Damaged" local roads

Long Phuoc commune has a quarry that extracts materials for the construction of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project. During the transportation of soil from the quarry to the construction site, trucks have damaged many roads in residential areas. Specifically, the Bau Can road section from the Cay Cay intersection to Le stream, the Cay Cay intersection to National Highway 51, the road leading to Long Phuoc 1 Industrial Cluster, Road 68, and Road Khu 2 have all suffered serious damage.

Recently, the asphalt road has subsided, turning into a dirt road. The section from the Cay Cay - Suoi Le intersection is severely degraded, with many potholes and large depressions. On rainy days, the road surface becomes slippery, forming puddles of water that make it very difficult for motorbikes to travel. When encountering dump trucks or tractor-trailers coming from the opposite direction and trying to avoid each other, motorbike riders have no choice but to walk or go to the side of the road. Due to the narrow road, the constant maneuvering of tractor-trailers causes many trees along the roadside to be damaged, uprooted, or knocked down. Transporting agricultural products and taking students to school is very difficult.

Mr. Pham Van Canh, Vice Chairman of the Long Phuoc Commune People's Committee, said: After extracting construction materials for the project, the investor and construction unit must restore and return the roads to the same or better condition as the existing roads. The commune requested the investor and construction unit to deposit funds with the Long Phuoc Commune People's Committee to repair the roads under local management. However, this request has not yet been fulfilled.

Local residents are in strong agreement with the project's implementation, but they also hope that the construction unit will address any shortcomings during the construction process to ensure safe travel for everyone.

Thuy Linh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202512/kho-vi-song-gan-cong-trinh-cao-toc-fd72524/