Opening of 4 North-South Expressway Projects

On April 19, the Ministry of Construction held the technical opening of four North-South Expressway projects: Bai Vot – Ham Nghi, Ham Nghi – Vung Ang, Bung – Van Ninh, and Van Phong – Nha Trang.

The Bai Vot – Ham Nghi Expressway starts at the endpoint of the Dien Chau – Bai Vot Expressway in Thanh Binh Thinh Commune, Duc Tho District, Ha Tinh Province, and ends at the starting point of the Ham Nghi – Vung Ang section in Thach Xuan Commune, Thach Ha District, Ha Tinh Province. This 35-kilometer stretch runs through Ha Tinh Province, with a total investment of over VND 7,640 billion.

There are three interchanges along the route: the National Highway 8A interchange in Thanh Binh Thinh Commune, Duc Tho District (connecting to Cau Treo Border Gate and Hong Linh Town); the Provincial Road 548 interchange in Trung Loc Commune, Can Loc District (connecting to Nghen Town, Dong Lo historical site, and National Highway 1); and the Provincial Road 550 interchange in Luu Vinh Son Commune, Thach Ha District (connecting to Ha Tinh City and National Highway 1).

The Ham Nghi – Vung Ang project spans 54.2 kilometers through Ha Tinh Province, starting at the same point as the Bai Vot – Ham Nghi section in Thach Ha District and ending at the starting point of the Vung Ang – Bung section in Ky Anh District.

This expressway features three interchanges: Cam Quan interchange (Cam Quan Commune, Cam Xuyen District) connecting to National Highway 1, the Thiên Cầm tourist area; Ky Trung interchange (Ky Trung Commune, Ky Anh District) linking to Ky Anh District center; and the National Highway 12C interchange (Ky Tan Commune, Ky Anh District) connecting to Vung Ang Economic Zone and Ky Anh Town.

The project has been substantially completed and will open its main route to traffic on April 28, with full completion expected before June 30.

The Bung – Van Ninh subproject stretches 48 kilometers, starting at Cu Nam Commune, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province (connecting with the Vung Ang – Bung section) and ending at Van Ninh Commune, Quang Ninh District, Quang Binh Province (connecting with the Van Ninh – Cam Lo project). It has a total investment of over VND 9,360 billion.

The route features four interchanges: Cu Nam, Viet Trung, Nhat Le 2, and National Highway 9B. The project is essentially complete, with the main route scheduled to open on April 28 and full completion before June 30.

The Van Phong – Nha Trang Expressway is 83 kilometers long, starting from the southern entrance of Co Ma Tunnel (Van Ninh District, Khanh Hoa Province) and ending at the starting point of the Nha Trang – Cam Lam project (Dien Khanh District, Khanh Hoa Province). The total investment is nearly VND 11,810 billion.

Approximately 70 out of the 83 kilometers have been completed, with three interchanges: Van Gia interchange connecting with National Highway 1, National Highway 26 interchange, and National Highway 27C interchange. The 70-kilometer stretch has been approved by the State Inspection Council and will open for traffic today at 4 PM.

The four expressways are designed for a future completion phase with a design speed of 100–120 km/h, a six-lane scale, and a 32-meter-wide roadbed. However, in the current investment phase, they have four lanes, a 17-meter-wide roadbed, and a design speed of 80 km/h. Emergency stop lanes are arranged at intervals of 4–5 kilometers on each driving direction.

The Eastern North-South Expressway phase 2 (2021–2025) covers a total length of 729 kilometers across 12 provinces and cities, divided into 12 component projects, including the Ha Tinh – Quang Tri (267 km), Quang Ngai – Nha Trang (353 km), and Can Tho – Ca Mau (109 km) sections. The projects are initially invested with four lanes and a total estimated investment of VND 146,990 billion.

So far, the Ministry of Construction has substantially completed four of the 12 projects, totaling 208 kilometers through Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Khanh Hoa Provinces, helping to connect the North-South Expressway from Hanoi to Quang Binh and from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Yen.

According to Deputy Minister of Construction Pham Minh Ha, these four projects opened today have been completed 6–9 months ahead of schedule. The Ministry and local authorities are committed to completing 3,000 kilometers of expressways by 2025 as directed by the Government and striving to achieve 5,000 kilometers by 2030 as set by the Party and the National Assembly.

To achieve this goal, the Ministry of Construction has directed units to overcome difficulties related to materials and weather conditions, working around the clock with "three shifts, four crews," through holidays and New Year periods, and applying technical solutions to ensure early operation of the projects.

The Ministry believes that the opening of these North-South Expressway components during the April 30 holiday will help alleviate congestion, reduce traffic accidents, ease the burden on National Highway 1, and shorten travel times from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Yen and from Hanoi to Ha Tinh and Quang Binh Provinces.

These projects will enhance investment efficiency, meet travel, transport, tourism, and cultural exchange needs, and contribute to economic development and tourism stimulation in Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and other North-Central and South-Central provinces.

Today, the Ministry of Construction also conducted the closure of Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, connecting Tien Giang and Ben Tre Provinces, and inaugurated a section of the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway from National Highway 1 interchange to Nguyen Van Tao interchange, nearly 20 kilometers long. The total operational length of the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway has now reached nearly 30 kilometers.

By Doan Loan – Bui Toan