The expansion project for the HCMC–Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway under the public-private partnership (PPP) model was initially slated for approval in June 2025. However, progress has stalled due to a range of procedural obstacles—most notably, prolonged delays in reaching agreements with local authorities.
According to the Vietnam Road Administration, as of now, Project Management Unit 7 has yet to complete the documentation required for submission to the Ministry of Construction for appraisal of the feasibility study. The primary bottleneck lies in the extended time needed to obtain consensus from the localities involved. Many provinces and cities are currently focused on internal restructuring following the recent administrative unit mergers, which has further delayed coordination.
In a bid to accelerate progress, the Vietnam Road Administration has urged the Ministry of Construction to call on relevant localities to expedite the issuance of necessary agreements. Specifically, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee is requested to quickly issue a written agreement on the project’s scope, design scale, and technical solutions, including service roads, overpasses, interchanges, and underpasses for local communities. Long An Province People’s Committee is urged to finalize agreements on compensation rates and designated waste disposal sites. Tien Giang Province People’s Committee is expected to provide documents outlining agreement on project boundaries, construction scale, compensation rates, and coordination with the current Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway investor regarding the expansion plan and rest stop development.
The Vietnam Road Administration noted that since its opening more than 12 years ago, traffic volume on the HCMC–Trung Luong Expressway has surged by over 35 percent, now reaching over 52,000 vehicles per day and night. During peak holiday periods, traffic volume can exceed 50 percent above average.
The proposed expansion has a preliminary estimated investment of nearly VND39.8 trillion (approx. US$1.56 billion). It includes the HCMC–Trung Luong section, to be widened from four to eight lanes, with a 41-meter-wide roadbed and a design speed of 120 km/h. Future upgrades will bring it in line with the approved master plan: 12 lanes from Cho Dem to Ring Road 4, and 10 lanes from Ring Road 4 to Trung Luong.
The Trung Luong–My Thuan section, currently a limited four-lane expressway, will be upgraded to six lanes as per the approved design plan, with a design speed of 100 km/h.
