Clear focal point for appraisal of construction design of Ho Chi Minh City

Long Thanh Bridge on Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway will be expanded to 8 lanes.

Long Thanh Bridge on Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway will be built as a new bridge unit with a scale of 5 complete lanes in the direction from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh, on the right side of the existing bridge.

The Ministry of Construction has just sent a document to the Government leaders regarding the appraisal of the construction design to be implemented after the basic design of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway expansion project.

According to the Ministry of Construction, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway expansion project is a group A project with special construction level. Vietnam Expressway Corporation - VEC is assigned as the managing agency, implementing it according to procedures for urgent projects.

Recently, the Ministry of Construction has issued a document guiding VEC on the appraisal of construction designs implemented after basic design.

Accordingly, the specialized construction agency under the provincial People's Committee has the authority to appraise and VEC is allowed to choose one of the two localities where the Project passes through, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai, to submit the dossier.

However, according to VEC's report, all localities have proposed transferring the design documents of the Project to the specialized agency of the Ministry of Construction for appraisal because this is an inter-regional and inter-provincial project; the Feasibility Study Report has been appraised by the specialized agency of the Ministry of Construction; the project has special-level main works.

Immediately after receiving Document No. 7606/VPCP-CN dated August 15, 2025 of the Government Office , the Ministry of Construction continued to issue a document guiding the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the People's Committee of Dong Nai province and VEC on the appraisal of construction design implemented after the basic design for the Project.

In this document, the Ministry of Construction said that, according to current regulations, the specialized construction agency under the specialized construction management ministry only appraises the construction design implemented after the basic design for works belonging to the following projects: important national projects; projects assigned by the Prime Minister and works belonging to projects under the specialized management ministry decided on investment by the specialized construction management ministry.

Therefore, in cases assigned by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Construction will direct specialized agencies to appraise according to regulations.

Currently, VEC and consulting units are urgently preparing design documents for construction drawings of project items to be able to start the Project on August 19, 2025 as directed by the Prime Minister, with the goal of timely synchronous connection with Long Thanh International Airport.

To ensure the project's construction progress, the Ministry of Construction agrees with VEC's proposal to report to the Prime Minister to assign the specialized construction agency under the Ministry of Construction to appraise the construction design documents to be implemented after the basic design for the project's works.

Previously, in a document sent to the Government leaders on August 15, VEC said that this unit had completed the procedures for appraising the Project Feasibility Study Report conducted by the Department of Economics - Construction Investment Management (the specialized construction agency of the Ministry of Construction).

To ensure consistency, continuity, and inheritance of previous investment project appraisal results, and to meet the requirements of the very urgent project commencement schedule, VEC recommends that the Government leaders approve the assignment of the specialized construction agency under the Ministry of Construction to continue carrying out the construction design appraisal procedures to be implemented after the basic design for the Project's works.

Mr. Pham Hong Quang, General Director of VEC, said that the unit is currently speeding up preparations to start the project to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway section on August 19, 2025, in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister.

Previously, the General Director of VEC signed a decision approving the project to expand the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway section passing through Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province with the basic route centerline following the old road, expanding to both sides, except for the section passing through Long Thanh bridge, which is expanded to the right of the existing route (downstream).

In particular, the section from Ring Road 2 intersection to Ring Road 3 intersection (Km4+000 + Km8+844.5) 4.84 km long will be invested to expand from 4 lanes to 8 lanes.

The section from the Ring Road 3 intersection to the intersection with Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, excluding Long Thanh Bridge (Km8 + 844,5 Km25 + 920) with a length of 14.757 km will be invested to expand from 4 lanes to 10 lanes.

Long Thanh Bridge (Km11+428.75 + Km13+747.25) with a length of 2.318 km will build a new bridge unit with a scale of 5 complete lanes in the direction from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh, on the right side of the existing bridge (symmetrical to the old bridge across the center of the completed expressway) with a width of 23.75 m.

The total investment of the Project is 14,945.2 billion VND from the state budget and VEC mobilized capital.

The project is implemented as an emergency construction project, starting on August 19, 2025; the project will be basically completed in December 2026 (Long Thanh Bridge will be completed in December 2026 and the remaining items will be completed in March 2027).

The project, once completed, will contribute to completing the expressway according to the approved planning scale, meeting the increasing transportation demand, shortening time, reducing transportation costs, contributing to convenient connection between Long Thanh International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City, serving socio-economic development, contributing to ensuring security and defense for the Southern Key Economic Zone; increasing the competitiveness of the economy in the context of deep integration.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/ro-dau-moi-tham-dinh-thiet-ke-xay-dung-du-an-mo-rong-cao-toc-tphcm---long-thanh-d362184.html