The plan to connect the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway with Cambodia will be implemented in two phases.

The Ministry of Construction has proposed a roadmap to connect Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway with Cambodia's Phnom Penh - Bavet expressway, prioritizing the utilization of existing border gate infrastructure.

The Ministry of Construction has just proposed that the Government consider approving a plan to connect two key expressways between Vietnam and Cambodia. According to the proposal, the connection of the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway and the Phnom Penh - Bavet expressway will be implemented in phases to ensure stability in international trade and optimize existing technical infrastructure.

The two-phase connection route at Moc Bai border gate.

Based on the results of the planning review and field surveys, the Ministry of Construction, in coordination with local authorities, has proposed specific connection options:

• Phase 1: Connection via the existing Moc Bai - Bavet international border gate pair. This option allows for immediate utilization of the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway upon completion, while also leveraging the existing border gate infrastructure to ensure stable traffic flow.
• Phase 2: Directly connect the two expressways at milestone 170, following the direction of the goods clearance route of the Moc Bai - Bavet border gate pair.

The Ministry of Construction assessed that the proposed connection plan at milestone 170 has a solid basis in terms of planning and infrastructure, and has received high consensus from relevant ministries, sectors, and localities.

Map showing the route of the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway. (Graphic: Khanh Hoang).

Current status of implementation of two key expressway projects.

Currently, road connections between Vietnam and Cambodia are primarily via National Highway 22 (on the Vietnamese side) and National Highway 1 (on the Cambodian side). The construction of two parallel expressways is expected to transform the infrastructure of the border region.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway is nearly 51 km long, starting at the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 and ending at a connection with National Highway 22, about 5 km from the Moc Bai border gate. The project has a total investment of over 19,600 billion VND (of which state capital accounts for 9,674 billion VND), implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) method, BOT contract.

Design of the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway, the section passing through the intersection with provincial road DT.787B. (Photo: Tedi South).

Cambodia is currently developing the Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway, approximately 135 km long, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with construction having commenced in June 2023. The final 15 km section near the border remains untouched pending agreement on the official connection point with Vietnam.

The process of researching border connection points.

Since 2017, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Works of Cambodia had included a plan for a connection point near milestone 164. However, through the work of the inter-ministerial working group during the 2023-2025 period and field surveys, the connection option at milestone 170 was assessed as more optimal.

The Ministry of Construction has proposed that the Government direct relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to complete the necessary technical, legal, and external procedures to expedite the project's implementation. This transportation route plays a crucial role in connecting the Southern key economic region with international markets via Cambodia.

Project information may change depending on official planning adjustments from the competent authorities.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/phuong-an-ket-noi-cao-toc-tp-hcm-moc-bai-voi-campuchia-qua-hai-giai-doan-424424.html