Reviewing and increasing the speed limit on the 4-lane expressway to 90 km/h (phased investment).

Việt Nam•29/11/2023

The Ministry of Transport will review the phased investment projects for four-lane expressways currently operating at 80 km/h, and may adjust the speed limit to 90 km/h.

Vehicles are seen traveling on the section of the North-South Expressway that has been put into operation. (Photo: Viet Hung/Vietnam+)

The Ministry of Transport has recently issued a document requesting the Vietnam Road Administration, Vietnam Expressway Administration, Investment and Construction Management, and the Project Management Boards of the Ho Chi Minh , My Thuan, Highways 2, 6, 7, 85, and Thang Long to review the phased investment expressways designed with 4 lanes for motorized vehicles (2 lanes on each side) to enable operation at a speed of 90 km/h.

According to a report by the Ministry of Transport, several expressways with phased investment, featuring four lanes for motorized vehicles and intermittent emergency stopping lanes, have been invested in and put into operation with a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

On June 22, 2022, the Vietnam Road Administration issued and published the Basic Standard for Expressways - Design and Traffic Organization during the Phased Construction Investment Stage. Accordingly, expressways with the scale described above can be operated at speeds up to 90 km/h during the phased investment investment stage.

To ensure uniformity and consistency in traffic organization for phased investment expressways with 4 lanes for motorized vehicles, improve investment efficiency, and promote socio -economic development, the Ministry of Transport has assigned the Vietnam Road Administration to coordinate with the Vietnam Expressway Administration and the Construction Investment Management Department to review the relevant technical factors of phased investment expressway projects that are currently in operation or are being prepared for investment with 4 lanes for motorized vehicles, in order to assess their suitability and decide on increasing the operating speed to 90 km/h.

The Vietnam Road Administration reported to the Ministry of Transport to direct the investors of phased-investment expressway projects to proactively adjust traffic organization plans or necessary technical solutions, and revise technical design documents such as adjusting signs and road markings to meet the requirements for increased operating speeds when put into use.

Project Management Boards are responsible for coordinating with the Vietnam Road Administration to provide test results and evaluation reports as required; they are responsible for reviewing and making recommendations on projects under their management; and they direct units to adjust and supplement project items according to the opinions of the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnam Road Administration, to ensure traffic safety conditions when increasing vehicle operating speeds.

The Ministry of Transport also requested that the responsible units implement the plan and report the results to the ministry before December 31, 2023.

Reviewing and increasing the speed limit on the 4-lane expressway to 90 km/h (phased investment). In the context of limited economic resources, the National Assembly and the Government have approved the policy of phased investment in the construction of several routes with a 4-lane cross-section and a design speed of 80 km/h.

Several sections of the expressway have been completed and put into operation with a maximum permitted speed of 80 km/h and a minimum permitted speed of 60 km/h, such as the Cao Bo - Mai Son, Trung Luong - My Thuan, Mai Son - National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nha Trang - Cam Lam, and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet sections.

In his response to questions at the 6th Session of the 15th National Assembly on November 6th, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang stated that currently, we have speed limits. The highest is 120 km/h, followed by 100 km/h, 80 km/h, and the lowest is 60 km/h. These standards depend on technical factors. If the investment is comprehensive and complete, like the Ha Long - Mong Cai route, it could reach speeds of up to 120 km/h.

For example, on the same route, the speed limit is 100 km/h for the Pháp Vân - Cầu Giẽ route, but 120 km/h for the Cầu Giẽ - Ninh Bình route. The simple reason is that by adding a rough surface, the speed limit can be increased from 100 km/h to 120 km/h.

According to Minister Nguyen Van Thang, since the beginning of 2023, the Ministry of Transport has been reviewing whether the expressway standards are still in line with reality. Recently, the agencies have studied and found that for routes with a speed limit of 80km/h, it can be increased to 90km/h, but for higher speed ranges, regulations and standards must still be followed.

"The Ministry of Transport is revising the standards and regulations for expressways. It is expected that in the first quarter of 2024, the speed limit on some expressways will be increased from 80 km/h to 90 km/h," Minister Nguyen Van Thang affirmed.

According to Vietnam+

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