The project, implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, aims to improve traffic flow and boost economic connectivity in southern Vietnam.

The Ministry of Transport, along with relevant government agencies, has been directed to expedite the groundbreaking of the HCMC - Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway expansion project in the second quarter of 2025.

The project, expected to be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, aims to alleviate congestion and enhance connectivity in southern Vietnam.

Government approval for expressway expansion

The Government Office has issued Official Document No. 1216/VPCP-CN to local authorities and relevant ministries, conveying the Prime Minister’s directive to proceed with the expansion of the HCMC - Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister has approved the Ministry of Transport’s proposal to oversee the project’s implementation. The ministry, in collaboration with other government agencies and provincial authorities, has been instructed to begin construction in the second quarter of 2025.

Project details and funding challenges

In January, the Ministry of Transport formally requested the government to assign it as the lead authority for executing the expansion project under the PPP model. This step is crucial for conducting feasibility assessments and securing project approval.

Given current budget constraints, the Ministry of Transport and local governments have proposed financing the entire project through a PPP approach. Under this plan, the section from HCMC to Trung Luong will be expanded from four lanes to eight, while the Trung Luong - My Thuan segment will be widened from a restricted four-lane design to six lanes.

The feasibility study, prepared by the consortium of Deo Ca - CII - Tasco, recommends dividing the project into two components.

Component 1: Expansion of the entire expressway under the PPP model. This includes widening the HCMC - Trung Luong section to eight lanes with two emergency stopping lanes and the Trung Luong - My Thuan section (including My Thuan 2 Bridge) to six lanes with two emergency stopping lanes. The total investment for this component is estimated at $1.7 billion (42.063 trillion VND).

Component 2: Land clearance for the future completion of a 10-12 lane expressway on the HCMC - Trung Luong section, financed through public investment at an estimated cost of $283 million (6.968 trillion VND).
Strategic importance of the expressway

The HCMC - Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway is a vital section of Vietnam’s North-South Eastern Expressway, stretching over 90 kilometers. The HCMC - Trung Luong segment, spanning 40 kilometers, was completed and opened to traffic in 2010 with a four-lane configuration. The Trung Luong - My Thuan section, measuring 51 kilometers, was inaugurated in 2022, also with four lanes.

The upcoming expansion project aims to enhance traffic capacity, reduce congestion, and boost economic development in the Mekong Delta region.

Ngan Anh