In response to urgent development needs, major road projects have been built, serving as a key driver for both intra-regional and inter-regional growth.
Connecting the highlands to the coast
While the Quang Ngai–Kon Tum expressway project is under review, the Quang Ngai Provincial People’s Committee recently requested support from the Prime Minister for VND2,350 billion (US$89 million) to upgrade and expand a 57.5-kilometer-long section of National Highway 24, a section from Ba To Commune to Kon Plong Commune.
Spanning approximately 165 kilometers, National Highway 24 is the only road linking the western and eastern parts of Quang Ngai Province. Currently, much of the highway across the Violak Pass is narrow and deteriorating, posing significant risks to traffic safety.
Ms. Bach Thi Man, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized that investment in these two roads is key to unlocking comprehensive tourism development.
These roads are not only transportation routes but also serve as corridors connecting forests and the sea, linking experiences from western Quang Ngai to the province’s scenic eastern beaches.
They will provide a foundation for multi-region tour packages, extend visitors’ stays, create opportunities for business investment, and allow local communities to benefit from sustainable tourism.
In the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, the Quy Nhon–Pleiku expressway project carries high expectations for boosting economic development. Provincial leaders have continuously inspected the project and coordinated with local authorities along its route to accelerate land clearance, resettlement and the preparation of construction material quarries, aiming to commence construction in October 2025.
In Lam Dong Province, the project to upgrade National Highway 28B, connecting the two popular tourist destinations of Da Lat and Mui Ne, spans nearly 68 kilometers with an investment of VND1,435 billion (US$54 million) and serves as a key link between the eastern and western regions. In addition to Highway 28B, plans are underway to upgrade National Highway 28, which connects the coast to the western parts of Lam Dong, to ensure seamless regional connectivity.
Once the upgrades and renovations of Highways 28 and 28B are completed, with their direct connections to the Vinh Hao–Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet–Dau Giay expressways, traffic flow across Lam Dong Province will likely be significantly improved.
The project will create an ‘East-West corridor’, facilitating faster transport of Central Highlands agricultural products to the coast, linking the sea–highlands–energy industrial triangle, and opening opportunities for dual tourism, mountains and beaches, thereby enhancing Lam Dong’s position as a strategic interregional gateway.
North-South corridor enhances interregional connectivity
On Lam Dong Province’s North-South axis, the Bao Loc–Lien Khuong expressway, spanning 73.62 kilometers, broke ground in June 2025.
This crucial final segment is part of the Dau Giay–Lien Khuong expressway, which is one of ten major national expressways in the Southern region approved by the Prime Minister.
Similarly, Lam Dong Province is expediting the completion of documentation for the Tan Phu (Dong Nai)–Bao Loc (Lam Dong) expressway, spanning 65.88 kilometers, to enable early commencement. The project has completed temporary staking within Lam Dong and has been handed over to local authorities along the route for management.
This expressway will connect with the Dau Giay–Tan Phu (Dong Nai) expressway. Once completed, it will create a seamless route from Ho Chi Minh City to the center of Lam Dong Province, shortening travel time, increasing transport capacity, and alleviating pressure on National Highway 20, which is currently overloaded and poses significant safety risks.
Recently, numerous national and local key transportation projects across Khanh Hoa Province have been implemented and put into operation, enhancing regional connectivity and promoting socio-economic development.
Expressway sections passing through the province, such as Nha Trang–Cam Lam and Cam Lam–Vinh Hao, were completed in 2023 and 2024.
As of April 2025, over 70 kilometers of the Van Phong–Nha Trang expressway has opened to traffic, with the remaining 13 kilometers scheduled for completion by National Day on September 2.
The expressway will shorten the journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the Deo Ca Tunnel bordering Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak to just over five hours, as well as significantly reduce travel time compared with National Highway routes.
The Khanh Hoa–Buon Ma Thuot expressway broke ground in June 2023 and is expected to open in 2027, with the first 20-kilometer-long section slated for completion by the end of 2025 under the Prime Minister’s directive.
This strategic east-west corridor links Dak Lak to Van Phong Economic Zone, addressing traffic challenges while boosting economic and tourism development in the Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions.
In Dak Lak province, authorities are currently focusing on land clearance for the North-South high-speed railway project passing through the province. The 96-kilometer-long section runs through 12 communes and wards, starting at Xuan Loc Commune and ending at Hoa Xuan Commune.
The Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak People’s Committee stated that the North-South high-speed railway project plays a key role in interregional connectivity, promoting socio-economic development, and meeting national defense and security requirements.
Accordingly, the provincial government has instructed relevant departments and local authorities to continue reviewing affected cases, promptly hand over land to the project investor and construction units, and complete infrastructure at resettlement areas. Resettlement must be carried out fairly, transparently, and in a timely manner to stabilize the lives of local residents.
