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

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

The Long Thanh Bridge on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway will be constructed as a new bridge section with a complete 5-lane capacity, in the direction from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh, to the right of the existing bridge.

The Ministry of Construction has recently sent a document to the Government leaders regarding the appraisal of the construction design implemented after the basic design phase 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-grade construction, and the Vietnam Expressway Investment and Development Corporation (VEC) has been assigned as the managing agency to implement it according to the procedures for an emergency project.

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

Accordingly, the specialized construction agency under the Provincial People's Committee has the authority to appraise the project, and VEC can choose one of the two localities through which the project passes, namely Ho Chi Minh City or Dong Nai, to submit the dossier.

However, according to VEC's report, all localities have suggested that the design documents for the project's works be reviewed by specialized agencies of the Ministry of Construction because this is a project with inter-regional and inter-provincial characteristics; the feasibility study report has already been reviewed by specialized agencies of the Ministry of Construction; and the project includes main works of special importance.

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

In this document, the Ministry of Construction stated that, according to current regulations, specialized construction agencies under the Ministry managing specialized construction projects only appraise detailed construction designs following the basic design phase for projects belonging to the following categories: nationally important projects; projects assigned by the Prime Minister; and projects under the management of specialized ministries whose investment decisions are made by the Ministry managing specialized construction projects.

Therefore, in cases assigned by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Construction will direct the relevant specialized agencies to conduct the appraisal in accordance with regulations.

Currently, VEC and its consulting units are urgently preparing the design and construction drawings for the project's components so that the project can commence on August 19, 2025, as directed by the Prime Minister, with the goal of ensuring timely and synchronized connection with Long Thanh International Airport.

To ensure the project's commencement schedule, the Ministry of Construction agrees with VEC's proposal to report to the Prime Minister and assign the specialized construction agency under the Ministry of Construction to appraise the detailed construction design documents following the basic design phase for the project's works.

Previously, in a document sent to government leaders on August 15th, VEC stated that it had completed the appraisal procedures for the Project's Feasibility Study Report, which was conducted by the Department of Economic and Investment Management of Construction (the specialized agency on construction of the Ministry of Construction).

To ensure consistency, continuity, and the building upon the results of previous investment project appraisals, and to meet the urgent project commencement deadline, VEC proposes that the Government leadership approve assigning the specialized construction agency under the Ministry of Construction to continue carrying out the procedures for appraising the detailed construction design following the basic design for the project's works.

According to Mr. Pham Hong Quang, General Director of VEC, the unit is currently accelerating preparations to commence the expansion project of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh expressway on August 19, 2025, in accordance with the Prime Minister's directive.

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. The main alignment follows the old road, expanding to both sides, with the section over Long Thanh bridge being expanded to the right of the existing road (downstream).

Specifically, the section from the Ring Road 2 intersection to the Ring Road 3 intersection (Km4+000 + Km8+844.5), which is 4.84 km long, will be expanded from 4 lanes to 8 lanes.

The section from the Ring Road 3 intersection to the intersection with the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, excluding the Long Thanh Bridge area (Km8+844.5 - Km25+920), with a length of 14.757 km, will be expanded from 4 lanes to 10 lanes.

Specifically, the Long Thanh bridge (Km11+428.75 + Km13+747.25), with a length of 2.318 km, will have a new bridge section constructed with a complete 5-lane capacity in the direction from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh, to the right of the existing bridge (symmetrical to the old bridge across the centerline of the completed expressway) with a width of 23.75 m.

The total investment for the project is VND 14,945.2 billion, sourced from the state budget and capital mobilized by VEC.

The project is being implemented as an emergency construction project, commencing on August 19, 2025; the project is expected to be substantially completed by December 2026 (specifically, the main bridge of Long Thanh Bridge will be joined in December 2026 and the remaining items will be completed by March 2027).

Upon completion, the project will contribute to completing the expressway according to the approved planning scale, meeting the increasing transportation demand, shortening travel 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 Region; and increasing the competitiveness of the economy in the context of deep integration.

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