Speed ​​up installation of toll stations and rest stops on the North-South Expressway

(Chinhphu.vn) - Currently, the progress of deploying the ITS system, toll stations and load testing on the North-South Expressway is still slow, potentially affecting the toll collection plan from the beginning of 2026.

Rest stops on the highway are being deployed very slowly compared to the plan.

According to a report by the Department of Economics - Construction Investment Management, of the 5 North-South Expressway component projects in the 2017-2020 period, 4 projects have construction progress from 4% to 14.8% behind schedule; expected to be completed by the end of October 2025.

The bids are all very slow.

Specifically, the Mai Son-National Highway 45 expressway project has an output of about 88%, 12% behind schedule due to problems with site clearance at Thieu Giang intersection; National Highway 45-Nghi Son has an output of about 85.2%, 14.8% behind schedule due to problems with weak soil treatment and site clearance at Nghi Son intersection; Nghi Son-Dien Chau has an output of about 90%, 10% behind schedule; Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet has an output of about 96%, 4% behind schedule due to slow site clearance for turning roads at 3 intersections (Ma Lam, Dai Ninh and Cho Lau).

Up to now, the equipment supply packages of the National Highway 45-Nghi Son, Nghi Son-Dien Chau, Phan Thiet-Dau Giay component projects have imported and assembled 100% of the equipment; the remaining 2 component projects have imported and assembled (90-98)% of the equipment.

Currently, contractors of 3 component projects including Nghi Son-Dien Chau, Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet-Dau Giay are installing equipment at the site; the remaining 2 component projects are Mai Son-National Highway 45, National Highway 45-Nghi Son are constructing cable lines and have not yet installed equipment at the site.

For the 12 North-South Expressway component projects in the 2021-2025 period, progress is very slow compared to the direction of the Ministry of Construction, although contractor selection and construction have been completed.

Accordingly, the construction of 3 component projects of Vung Ang-Bung, Bung-Van Ninh, Quang Ngai -Hoai Nhon sections has been implemented (75 days late); 9/12 is expected to complete contractor selection from October 31 to November 20, 2025 (90-110 days late). The package for providing shared software will complete the bidding on September 30, 2025 (60 days late).

In addition, the end-to-end toll collection system and the Road Traffic Electronic Payment Database Management System opened for bidding on October 21, selected a contractor on October 28, and signed a contract on October 31, 2025 (90 days late).

The Department of Construction Investment and Management Economics believes that the Directors of project management boards will be responsible to the Minister if the system is not completed before December 31, 2025.

The milestone must be completed by the end of this year.

In order to speed up the progress in the coming time, the Department of Economics and Construction Investment Management requires project management boards to speed up the implementation progress to soon complete construction packages; Thang Long Project Management Board coordinates with relevant units to study and supplement toll station designs (if necessary) to overcome the shortcomings due to the Cao Bo-Mai Son section not yet implementing the design and construction of toll stations; direct contractors to urgently deploy equipment installation work at the site.

Project management boards need to review and develop a general and detailed construction schedule for each bid package and each work item and have solutions to speed up construction progress to compensate for the slow progress, ensuring the completion of construction packages before November 30, and the completion of equipment and software supply packages before December 31, 2025; focus on directing contractors to prioritize the completion of the toll collection system, ensuring it can operate from January 1, 2026.

In cases of package price overruns, project management boards promptly handle the bidding situation according to regulations, ensuring early completion of contractor selection and contract signing. The Department of Economics - Construction Investment Management, Vietnam Road Administration and Information Technology Center coordinate to support project management boards in reviewing the package price and approved bidding documents (if necessary) in handling the situation of package price overruns.

For the Van Ninh-Cam Lo Component Project, the Ho Chi Minh City Project Management Board will coordinate with relevant units to research, promptly adjust and supplement toll station designs (if necessary) to overcome existing problems due to the Cam Lo-La Son section not yet implementing the design and construction of toll stations.

According to Decision No. 1252/QD-XD approved by the Minister of Construction on the Project on exploiting infrastructure assets of the Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway and the North - South expressways in the East for the period 2021 - 2025 under the management of the Ministry of Construction.

The method of exploiting expressway sections is that the asset management agency directly organizes the exploitation of road traffic infrastructure assets; the asset exploitation period is 7 years from the date of starting to collect expressway tolls.

The Ministry of Construction assigns the Vietnam Road Administration to organize and manage the collection of highway tolls according to current laws.

It is known that after completing the investment and construction of toll station infrastructure; installation of toll collection equipment; Back-End system; public service works at rest stops; technical infrastructure, technological equipment for traffic management and operation), the Vietnam Road Administration will organize toll collection and organize toll collection management according to the provisions of Decree No. 130/2024/ND-CP dated October 10, 2024 of the Government, the Law on Bidding and other relevant laws. Expected to be in the first quarter of 2026 at the latest.

Previously, the Minister of Construction issued Decision No. 496/QD-BXD approving the Project on exploiting road traffic infrastructure assets for the Mai Son - National Highway 45, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Nghi Son - Dien Chau, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressways under the management of the Ministry of Construction with toll collection starting from January 1, 2026.

Phan Trang

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/tang-toc-lap-dat-tram-thu-phi-tram-dung-nghi-tren-cao-toc-bac-nam-102251103143623734.htm