The goal is to restore the "lifeline" of traffic flow to provinces in the Mekong Delta region, which has been plagued by gridlock.
The initiative directly addresses the chronic congestion on National Highway 1, specifically the stretch from An Lac Roundabout in Binh Tan District to Nguyen Van Linh Overpass in Binh Chanh District. This corridor is a vital artery, connecting western Ho Chi Minh City to the rest of the Mekong Delta. It is also a key freight route, linking industrial zones to major ports and wholesale markets, which has led to persistent and heavy traffic.
Not only National Highway 1 but also the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong Expressway—once expected to ease congestion—has been plagued by chronic traffic jams. According to transport sector statistics, vehicle volumes have more than doubled the expressway’s designed capacity, especially during holidays. Intersections such as Cho Dem and Tan Tuc are frequent congestion hotspots.
Additionally, National Highway 50, which links Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Thap and Tay Ninh, remains narrow and degraded in many sections through Binh Chanh District. With frequent truck traffic and construction material transport, the risks of congestion and accidents are heightened. Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard, another major route toward the Mekong Delta, also suffers from chronic overload due to the large volume of container trucks and passenger buses.
Speaking with Sai Gon Giai Phong reporters, Deputy Director Tran Quang Lam of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport emphasized: “Addressing congestion at the western gateway to the Mekong Delta is a top priority. The city will concentrate resources, work closely with the Ministry of Transport and neighboring provinces, and apply modern management technologies to ease pressure on the current system.”
Accordingly, Ho Chi Minh City has approved a contractor selection plan to prepare for the investment project to upgrade and expand the section of National Highway 1 from Kinh Duong Vuong Street to the Tay Ninh provincial boundary. The 9.6-kilometer route will be widened to 60 meters with a scale of 10–12 lanes, implemented under a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model, with site clearance costs alone exceeding VND9,500 billion.
Alongside these efforts, several major intersections will be upgraded to reduce traffic conflicts. Specifically, an overpass with four lanes will be built at the Kinh Duong Vuong intersection; the Binh Thuan intersection will feature both an overpass on National Highway 1 and an underpass beneath Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard; the Doan Nguyen Tuan intersection will have a straight-through overpass constructed; and Binh Dien Bridge will be expanded by six additional lanes, bringing the total to twelve lanes.
These projects are divided into six bidding packages with a total investment of nearly VND16,400 billion, requiring more than 140 hectares of land and affecting over 2,200 households in Binh Chanh District and Binh Tan District, of which nearly 1,800 households will need to be fully relocated.
According to the plan, construction will commence in 2026 and be completed after two years. By the end of this year, work will begin on the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway, with the goal of widening the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong section to eight lanes, allowing for speed of up to 120 km/h. This project, with a total investment of over VND41,000 billion, will be carried out under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and is expected to be completed in 2028.
With the determination of Ho Chi Minh City’s leadership, these projects will be implemented swiftly, fundamentally addressing congestion at the western gateway and contributing to socio-economic development between Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta provinces.
Deputy Director Tran Quang Lam of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport
Ho Chi Minh City is also expediting a design competition to select the optimal plan for the Binh Tien Bridge–Road project, which is scheduled to begin this year and be completed by 2028. The project will extend approximately 3.66 kilometers, with a cross-sectional width of 30–40 meters, accommodating 4–6 lanes. The route will start from Pham Van Chi Street and end at the Nguyen Van Linh intersection, with a total investment of VND16,285 billion.
The Binh Tien Bridge–Road project is considered the starting point of a high-speed urban arterial road system that Ho Chi Minh City is developing—modern city roads with minimal intersections, which may be constructed as elevated, underground, or hybrid forms. The project is expected to create a new radial traffic axis, reducing travel time from central Ho Chi Minh City to the South Saigon urban area, Hiep Phuoc Port, and Ring Roads 2, 3, and 4.
Additionally, existing routes such as National Highway 50, within Ho Chi Minh City’s jurisdiction, will be upgraded and expanded to six lanes. Projects such as Ring Roads 2 and 3, once operational, are also expected to significantly improve regional traffic efficiency.
According to transport experts, the western gateway frequently experiences congestion due to rapidly increasing traffic volumes far exceeding the capacity of existing infrastructure. Meanwhile, the system of overpasses, intersections, and feeder roads has not been comprehensively developed, limiting its ability to ease the burden on National Highway 1. This often results in severe bottlenecks during peak hours.
Therefore, upgrading and expanding bottleneck segments, accelerating the widening of National Highway 1 through the former Binh Tan District and Binh Chanh District, as well as National Highway 50, and completing connections to the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong and Ben Luc – Long Thanh expressways are urgent requirements for the megacity of Ho Chi Minh City.
