Unraveling the traffic gridlock
Among the four major expressway projects under construction in the Mekong Delta, the Ca Mau - Can Tho Expressway construction and investment project is the most expected by locals because it is likely to boost socio-economic development for Ca Mau Peninsula in particular and the entire Mekong Delta in general.
In the last days of 2024, the project’s construction site recorded a bustling, hard-work working atmosphere. Hundreds of engineers, workers and construction equipment and means like rollers, bulldozers and excavators performed construction tasks throughout the entire 24-hour period. They took turns working in three shifts with four crews to speed up the construction progress.
Mr. Tran Van Thi, Director of the My Thuan Project Management Board—the project investor, stated that the project's construction progress has reached 53 percent.
Residents are eager with the gradually-shaped Ca Mau - Can Tho Expressway. Once the expressway is exploited, it will take only a few hours to get to Ho Chi Minh City from the province of Ca Mau, instead of a whole day's journey as present. A lot of residents from Ca Mau and the Mekong Delta have been arriving in HCMC for medical examination and treatment.
Beyond the Ca Mau - Can Tho Expressway project, three other expressway projects in the Mekong Delta including the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway, the component project 2 of the Cao Lanh - An Huu Expressway and the My An - Cao Lanh Expressway are also being accelerated.
At a working session in mid-October 2024, the localities along these projects reported to the Prime Minister about land clearance work for these projects which has reached 99 percent.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the over 188-kilometer-long Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway will be built by 2026; the component project 2 of the Cao Lanh - An Huu Expressway stretching over one kilometer will be completed by 2027, while the My An - Cao Lanh Expressway project will start work in early 2025.
Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam stated that these vertical and horizontal expressway projects will be connected, forming a closed transportation system with a total length of over 500 kilometers, gradually removing traffic infrastructure bottlenecks as well as contributing to the Mekong Delta's development in the near future.
Positive impacts
One year after the My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway and My Thuan 2 Bridge were opened to traffic on December 30, 2023, these projects have significantly impacted the economy of localities along the route and in the Mekong Delta region.
A representative from the Vinh Long Industrial Zones Management Board said that previously, the occupancy rate of operational businesses at the Hoa Phu Industrial Zone in Long Ho District and the Binh Minh Industrial Zone in Binh Minh Town was below 50 percent, but since early 2024, it has increased to 96.3 percent.
This result is thanks to improved transportation connections, reducing logistics and transportation costs.
Businesses, especially foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises from the Southeastern region and Ho Chi Minh City have been more active and invested more in the Mekong Delta.
By the end of 2024, Vinh Long's industrial zones had attracted 68 investment projects with a total registered capital of more than VND2,126 billion (US$84 million), creating jobs for 48,000 workers.
Chairman of Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee Lu Quang Ngoi valued the positive impacts of the My Thuan - Can Tho Expressway and My Thuan 2 Bridge on the acceleration of local economic growth since they were put into operation.
Besides, they have also reduced logistics costs and transportation time from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh Long Province. These factors have created new development space and new growth drivers and attracted more investors to Vinh Long Province.
Many localities in the Mekong Delta are investing, upgrading and renovating vital transportation routes to create seamless connectivity and enhance transport capacity.
Chairman of Soc Trang Provincial People's Committee Tran Van Lau indicated that the province is constructing various routes, such as a road linking Soc Trang City to the My Xuyen shrimp-rice area, ring roads, East-West axis, coastal roads and others. These routes are expected to create new development spaces, address employment issues and increase people's income.
At the end of 2024, Ben Tre Provincial People's Committee held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ba Lai 8 Bridge and the coastal road project.
The coastal road project is considered a crossroad of national transportation routes. The north of the crossroad will connect to Tien Giang Province through National Highway 50, leading to Long An, Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeastern provinces. Meanwhile, the south will link up to Tra Vinh Province, heading to Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau. The west will connect to Vinh Long through National Highway 57, leading to Dong Thap Province.
Thereby, the socio-economic situation in the Mekong Delta is expected to have significant breakthroughs in the coming time.
