Efforts are underway to open the 6km section of the Ben Luc expressway to traffic.

To date, the A6 package of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway through Nhon Trach ( Dong Nai ) has reached 97% completion and is currently undergoing finishing work. The Project Management Board is urging contractors to accelerate construction to ensure completion before Tet (Lunar New Year) to serve the people during the Spring Festival and facilitate convenient travel.

On the afternoon of January 11th, speaking to a reporter from Giao Thong Newspaper, Mr. Dang Huu Vi - Director of the Southern Expressway Project Management Board (under VEC - the investor of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway project) - said that the construction output of the expressway has reached nearly 90%. All contract packages are basically completed, with only package J3, the Phuoc Khanh bridge connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai, being held up.

The interchange between the road leading to Phuoc An port and the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway is being completed to ensure it opens to traffic before Tet.

Previously, this project was undertaken by a consortium of Sumitomo Mitsui (Japan) and Cienco 4 (Vietnam). In 2022, the investor and contractor J3 terminated the contract when the project was 80.7% complete, and it has not restarted since.

Specifically, the section passing through Dong Nai has 3 contract packages: A5, A6, and A7. Of these, A5 and A7 have been completed, while A6 is also about 97% complete and is in the final stages of finishing.

Mr. Vi said that the Project Management Board is urging the contractor to speed up construction to open the expressway section from the intersection with the road to Phuoc An port (Nhon Trach) to National Highway 51 before Tet to serve people's travel, help reduce traffic congestion, and alleviate the burden on National Highway 51 from the intersection of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway with Road 319 to the intersection of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway, National Highway 51 and Nhon Trach intersection.

In relation to this issue, the Vietnam Road Administration recently issued a decision approving the traffic organization plan for the temporary operation phase of two sections of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway construction project.

The temporary traffic management area includes the initial section from Km 0+000 to Km 3+420, from the interchange at the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway to National Highway 1 (Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City), approximately 3.4km long.

The second section is from the end of the route, from Km 50+530 to Km 57+581, from the intersection with BOT road 319 to National Highway 51 in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province, approximately 6.1km long.

The section of the highway bordering packages A6 and A7 has been paved with asphalt, and traffic signs have been installed.

According to the Vietnam Road Administration, the temporary traffic management plan aims to connect road networks in the area, adjust and reduce traffic volume on existing roads in the area, contributing to ensuring traffic safety during the Lunar New Year and Spring Festival of 2025.

The Department of Roads also requested the Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) to take the lead and coordinate with Road Management Area IV (and invite other agencies, organizations, and individuals if necessary) to review the approved temporary traffic management plan. They should proactively adjust and supplement necessary tasks and items before officially implementing temporary traffic management.

A panoramic view of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway section near the intersection with National Highway 51.

The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway plays a crucial role in connecting to Long Thanh Airport and the Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport complex, as well as the provinces in the Mekong Delta. The project has a total length of 57.8km, of which the section through Long An province is 2.7km, Ho Chi Minh City is 26.4km, and Dong Nai province is 28.7km.

The total investment, as updated, is currently nearly 30 trillion VND. Over the past two years, after legal procedural obstacles were removed, most of the construction packages for the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway have accelerated towards completion.

However, the J3 package for the Phuoc Khanh bridge across the Long Tau river, connecting Can Gio district in Ho Chi Minh City and Nhon Trach district in Dong Nai province, remains stalled.

According to the plan, the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway will be completed by September 30th, but in reality, the remaining completion of the Phuoc Khanh bridge will take about a year. Therefore, the opening of the entire route still depends on the progress of this bridge.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/no-luc-thong-xe-6km-cao-toc-ben-luc-long-thanh-tu-nhon-trach-ra-ql51-truoc-tet-192250111165130995.htm