On March 15, the My Thuan Project Management Board under the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam announced the temporary suspension of traffic on the Hau Giang–Ca Mau component expressway project starting from 1:00 p.m. on March 16.
During the suspension period, vehicles traveling from Can Tho to Ca Mau may take the Can Tho – Hau Giang Expressway to the IC5 interchange and then access National Highway 61. Alternatively, motorists may travel along the Quan Lo – Phung Hiep Route and National Highway 1 as previously used.
According to the My Thuan Project Management Board, in line with directives from the Government of Vietnam and the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, the 73-km Hau Giang–Ca Mau Expressway had been temporarily opened to traffic on its main route since January 19.
The temporary operation was intended to commemorate the upcoming 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and to meet the increasing travel demand of residents during the peak period of the Lunar New Year 2026.
However, according to reports, contractors are currently continuing construction on several remaining items, including drainage ditches, reinforcement of embankment slopes, and cement concrete shoulders.
Construction activities taking place on a route that is already open to traffic, despite the implementation of full traffic safety measures, still pose a high potential risk to road users, as well as to construction workers and equipment operating on the site.
In addition, carrying out construction while simultaneously organizing traffic flow—while most construction activities are conducted during daytime hours to ensure safety—has resulted in a prolonged timeline for completing the project.
The Can Tho – Ca Mau Expressway is part of the eastern North–South Expressway Project for the 2021–2025 period. The main route stretches nearly 111km and is divided into two component projects, including the Can Tho – Hau Giang Expressway section and the Hau Giang – Ca Mau Expressway section.
The project is designed with four traffic lanes and has a total investment of more than VND27.52 trillion (US$1 billion). It is invested and managed by the My Thuan Project Management Board under the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam.
Of the two sections, the Can Tho–Hau Giang segment was officially opened to traffic on December 22, 2025, while the Hau Giang–Ca Mau section has been temporarily put into operation since January 19.
