Risk of waste because Long Thanh airport has to wait for… roads

The most important items in component project 2 (air traffic control facilities) and component project 3 (passenger terminal) are currently on schedule and ahead of schedule – Photo: A LOC

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has requested Ho Chi Minh City and relevant ministries to expedite the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway. The aim is to ensure the successful commissioning of the first phase of Long Thanh Airport and to avoid traffic congestion.

They built the airport day and night.

According to the Ministry of Transport , phase 1 of the Long Thanh airport project commenced in early 2021 and has now completed the construction of 3 out of 4 component projects, with only component project 4 progressing slower than planned.

Component Project 1, which includes the headquarters of state administrative agencies, is progressing on schedule, encompassing items such as the airport, customs, immigration management, and local police. However, the quarantine agency headquarters is still facing some obstacles that need to be resolved.

In component project 2, with the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) as the investor, the air traffic control tower construction is two months ahead of schedule. Currently, the air traffic control tower has completed its rough construction and is in the finishing stage, including fabrication, painting of the roof steel, and installation of the electromechanical systems.

Component project 3, with ACV as the investor, includes two important items: the passenger terminal and the runway, which are being constructed on schedule despite being considered the most complex. ACV aims to complete and put the runway into technical operation before April 30, 2025.

Specifically, component project 4, comprising 17 ground service facilities, is progressing more slowly. The Ministry of Transport has approved 8 priority items, of which the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam is currently conducting procedures to select investors for 7 items.

The prospect of being completely stuck on the highway.

With the Ho Chi Minh City – Thu Thiem light rail line still awaiting implementation, expanding the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway is seen as a crucial solution to meet transportation needs when Long Thanh airport becomes operational.

According to statistics, traffic volume on this expressway is increasing by an average of 10.8% per year. In particular, the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh section is projected to exceed 25% of its current capacity by 2025. In reality, even before Long Thanh Airport becomes operational, this route frequently experiences traffic congestion, especially during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).

The State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises assessed the expansion of the expressway as an urgent task to meet transportation needs and socio -economic development, especially with Long Thanh Airport expected to be operational in 2026. The proposed plan is to expand the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh section (22km long) to 8-10 lanes with a total investment of approximately 14,955 billion VND.

The Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) has been proposed as the project's investor. In mid-2024, VEC signed a framework agreement with Vietcombank regarding the arrangement of financing for the project.

According to experts, the investment preparation and technical design time for a highway project typically takes about a year. If the procedures are shortened, the project could start in 2025 and be completed in two years. Although this progress is slower than the time frame for the Long Thanh airport to become operational, the project's implementation still needs to be accelerated.

Meanwhile, the An Phu interchange at the beginning of the expressway is under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Council has also approved the plan to expand the access road to the expressway from the An Phu interchange to Ring Road 2, increasing it from 4 lanes to 8 lanes with a total investment of 938.9 billion VND.

This project is expected to commence in Q3 2025 and be completed in Q4 2026.

The Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway is broken in sections.

The Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway, one of the important routes connecting the southeastern provinces with Long Thanh airport, is showing uneven construction progress. While some sections are on schedule, others are still facing many obstacles.

At the final section of the route in Hoa Long commune, Ba Ria city (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), contractors have begun paving the first few kilometers with asphalt. This is component project 3, with a length of 19.5 km. As of November 15th, more than one kilometer of asphalt paving has been completed.

The Cai Mep - Thi Vai Regional Transport Project Management Board announced that 100% of the land for component project 3 has been cleared. Regarding funding, the project has been allocated nearly 1,190 billion VND from the central government budget in 2024 and has disbursed 796 billion VND (reaching 67%).

Currently, contractors are simultaneously deploying over 15 construction teams, utilizing more than 220 pieces of equipment and 415 personnel. Approximately 50% of the work has been completed. The units are committed to opening the road for technical traffic before April 30, 2025.

However, in Dong Nai, the project is facing many difficulties. The Project Management Board 85 reported that in component project 1 (passing through Bien Hoa City and Long Thanh District), out of a total of 137 hectares requiring land clearance, only nearly 88 hectares have been handed over. In component project 2 (passing through Long Thanh District), nearly 158 hectares have been handed over (87%), but only over 104 hectares are available for construction due to obstacles such as residents preventing construction or not yet relocating technical infrastructure.

Besides land clearance issues, the project is also facing a severe shortage of fill soil, estimated at approximately 4 million ^cubic meters. The Project Management Board 85 has requested the People's Committee of Dong Nai province to allow the exploitation of the Phuoc Binh commune area (Long Thanh district) and other soil sources to ensure the project's progress.

At the same time, the committee also recommended that the province expedite the land clearance and relocation of technical infrastructure facilities in November, especially prioritizing locations necessary for the contractor to carry out construction simultaneously.

Delayed road construction makes it difficult for the airport to "take off".

According to ACV, when the airport becomes operational, approximately 80% of international passenger traffic from Tan Son Nhat will shift to Long Thanh, with a designed capacity of 25 million passengers per year in phase 1. This will put significant pressure on connecting routes, especially the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway.

Meanwhile, the implementation of key transportation projects connecting to the airport is currently quite slow, which could affect their simultaneous completion when the airport becomes operational.

Waiting for additional connecting roads to Long Thanh Airport.

The passenger terminal – the heart of Long Thanh Airport – is expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2026. (Photo: A Loc)

Connectivity from the western provinces to Long Thanh airport will be primarily via the Ben Luc – Long Thanh expressway.

It is expected that some sections of this route will be put into operation by the end of 2024. When completed, this expressway will not only create a new route to Long Thanh Airport but also help relieve congestion on the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway, replacing the current route that runs through the inner city of Ho Chi Minh City.

Another important project is the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4, with a length of 207km and a total investment of approximately 136,000 billion VND. Five localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dong Nai, and Long An, are preparing the dossier to submit to the National Assembly in early 2025. The section through Dong Nai alone, 45.54km long and with a total investment of approximately 24,000 billion VND, will run parallel to National Highway 51 and the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway when passing the airport.

Ring Road 4 will create a new connection route from Binh Duong to Long Thanh Airport, in addition to the existing Ring Road 3 (Ho Chi Minh City – Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh Expressway) and the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway.

This route will divert inter-regional traffic, facilitating access to the airport for vehicles from the Central Highlands provinces.

In Dong Nai province, to avoid traffic congestion in the area south of the airport, the province has proposed building the DT 769E road directly connecting the airport to the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressway, creating a new connection route north of the airport.

Specifically, the Dong Nai Provincial Appraisal Council has just approved the investment plan for phase 1 of provincial road 769E with a total capital of over 1,400 billion VND. The project is 8km long, connecting Long Thanh Airport to the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 and the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressway.

Along with routes T1 and T2, provincial road 769E will directly connect the area north of Long Thanh airport, helping to share traffic flow with the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway, the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway, and National Highway 51.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguy-co-lang-phi-vi-san-bay-long-thanh-phai-cho-duong-20241123224501085.htm