After much anticipation, the first expressways connecting to the Central Highlands have begun construction, opening the door to promising development for this red soil region.
Highway connecting the Central Highlands: Paving the way to a new era.
After much anticipation, the first expressways connecting to the Central Highlands have begun construction, opening the door to promising development for this red soil region.
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| National Highway 19 is known as the eastern gateway to the Central Highlands. |
The highway dream
The Central Highlands region plays a particularly important role and occupies a crucial position in terms of the country's economy, politics , culture, society, environment, national defense, security, and foreign relations. Therefore, in its strategic vision, the central government has always allocated significant resources for the development of the Central Highlands. Among these, the most crucial task is improving transportation infrastructure to connect the Central Highlands with other regions, as transportation has been a major bottleneck hindering the development of this red soil region for decades.
Traffic bottlenecks will soon be eliminated as new expressways are being invested in and constructed. First and foremost is the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway, connecting the Central Highlands with the Central Coast. This project is being urgently accelerated by Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces. With a total investment of 21,935 billion VND, the project requires the basic completion of several high-traffic sections by 2026 and full operation in 2027. Therefore, construction units are working diligently, even celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) on the construction site.
Mr. Tran Ba Duong also expressed his ambition to build a value chain for the production and export of fresh fruit and agricultural products in this region, in addition to the projects already invested in Laos and Cambodia.
Representatives from Deo Ca Group, the contractor for Package XL01 of the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway Project, stated that the consortium has mobilized nearly 450 personnel and 200 pieces of equipment and machinery, deploying 14 construction teams simultaneously. The planned output for 2024 is basically on schedule, aiming for tunnel completion by the end of 2025.
“Currently, construction is facing many difficulties, especially at the Phuong Hoang tunnel, so we are focusing on accelerating the construction of access roads, temporary shelters, and other auxiliary items to ensure we are always ready for large-scale deployment when we receive sufficient land. With our efforts to overcome difficulties, we expect the project to continue to achieve its important goals, ensuring progress and quality according to the plan,” a representative of Deo Ca Group shared.
According to the leaders of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee, this expressway plays a particularly important role in strongly promoting the potential and strengths of Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces, as well as the entire region. As a strategic route "connecting the forest with the sea," when operational, the expressway will create momentum for socio-economic development, while strengthening national defense and security in the two provinces and the South Central and Central Highlands regions. Therefore, Dak Lak province is determined to dedicate its efforts to completing and putting this expressway into operation as soon as possible.
Another highly anticipated expressway project in the Central Highlands is the Chơn Thành - Gia Nghĩa expressway. At its seventh session, the 15th National Assembly passed a resolution on the investment policy for the construction of the Western North-South Expressway, specifically the Gia Nghĩa (Đắk Nông) - Chơn Thành (Bình Phước) section. The project spans 128.8 km, with a total investment of 25,540 billion VND, and is expected to be operational in 2027.
Besides the expressways currently under construction and those being prepared for investment, it is expected that many more expressways will be built in the Central Highlands in the near future. Recently, the Ministry of Transport issued a plan for implementing the Project on Socio-Economic Development associated with the protection of security and national defense in the Central Highlands.
According to this plan, the study prepares for investment in the Western North-South Expressway, with the investment process progressing after 2030, including the Ngoc Hoi - Pleiku Expressway (90 km long, 6 lanes, preliminary total investment of approximately 18,900 billion VND), the Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway (160 km long, 6 lanes, total investment of approximately 33,600 billion VND), and the Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia Expressway (105 km long, 6 lanes, total investment of 22,050 billion VND).
The Ministry of Transport also plans to complete the upgrading of the remaining 63 km of National Highway 24 (Kon Tum - Quang Ngai) with a total investment of 2,500 billion VND by 2030.
Regarding railways, by 2030, the Ministry of Transport expects to complete investment preparation for the restoration and upgrading of the Thap Cham - Da Lat railway line and the railway connecting the Central Highlands (Da Nang - Kon Tum - Gia Lai - Dak Lak - Dak Nong - Binh Phuoc).
Regarding aviation, the Ministry of Transport plans to complete the upgrading of three airports by 2029, including Lien Khuong Airport, Pleiku Airport, and Buon Ma Thuot Airport, and complete the planning for Mang Den Airport by 2025.
Breakthrough from the highway
For many years, to travel to Ho Chi Minh City or other key southern provinces and cities, people in Lam Dong had to navigate winding and dangerous mountain passes. Connecting trade and commerce was also extremely difficult. Therefore, the Tan Phu - Bao Loc and Bao Loc - Lien Khuong expressways are not just transportation projects, but also symbols of Lam Dong's development.
Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, Tran Hong Thai, affirmed that the obstacles facing the Tan Phu - Bao Loc and Bao Loc - Lien Khuong expressways have been addressed by relevant ministries and agencies under the direction of the Prime Minister. It is expected that the Tan Phu - Bao Loc and Bao Loc - Lien Khuong expressway projects will commence before April 30, 2025.
Similarly, Kon Tum is a locality facing many difficulties in transportation infrastructure, so the province is very eager for the early implementation of expressways. Good news for Kon Tum province is that at the beginning of 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed Decision No. 12/QD-TTg dated January 3, 2025, approving the adjustment of the Road Network Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. This includes the addition of the Quang Ngai - Kon Tum expressway.
Sharing this joy, Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Kon Tum province, said that the province has a mountainous terrain and only one mode of transportation: road. Meanwhile, Kon Tum is strategically located at the Indochina crossroads, the core of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia development triangle, and also holds an important geopolitical and economic position on the East-West corridor. Therefore, the investment in and construction of expressways will create a strong impetus for growth for Kon Tum province in particular and the Central Highlands in general.
Another positive sign for the Central Highlands in general and Gia Lai in particular is that the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway project has just been reported to the Government leaders by the Ministry of Transport regarding the investment plan.
According to Mr. Dinh Huu Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Gia Lai province, the Ministry of Transport has sent a letter to the Government proposing the investment and construction of the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway under the public investment model. This is considered a major step forward in the process of building a complete transportation system for the province.
Accordingly, the Quy Nhon - Pleiku Expressway Project will be prepared for investment starting in 2025, with investment implementation and completion, and operation scheduled for the period 2026-2030. The project has a length of 123 km and a total investment of approximately 36,594 billion VND.
The Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway, once invested in, will improve connectivity, shorten travel time and costs, and ensure traffic safety. It will create momentum for linkages, spread, and promote cooperation in socio-economic development of the region, especially connecting the Central Highlands with deep-sea ports, while also strengthening national defense and security in the region.
“This expressway also contributes to meeting transportation needs on the East-West axis, serving as an important transportation corridor for socio-economic development goals, connecting seaports in the Central Coastal region with border gates in the Central Highlands in particular, and connecting the East Sea with the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle in general. In the Gia Lai provincial planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway, once completed, will be one of the important economic development axes of the locality. Accordingly, the province plans to develop industrial parks, industrial clusters, and logistics warehouses along this route. Local authorities and people are very much hoping that this expressway will be invested in soon,” Mr. Hoa said.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/cao-toc-ket-noi-tay-nguyen-mo-duong-den-ky-nguyen-moi-d243533.html
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