Following the phased opening of numerous segments, the remaining sections of the 3,000km Eastern Expressway are scheduled for completion and operationalization this year. On-site assessments across the majority of these routes in February revealed a palpable atmosphere of relentless and expedited construction efforts.
In the Mekong Delta, the Can Tho-Ca Mau Expressway project, with a total investment exceeding VND27.5 trillion (US$1.1 billion), is generating considerable anticipation among local residents. This longitudinal expressway, upon completion, will establish a continuous North-South Expressway corridor from HCMC to the nation’s southernmost extremity, ushering in a new era of socio-economic development for the Ca Mau peninsula and the Mekong Delta region.
To date, thousands of households affected by the project have relinquished their land, and local authorities have facilitated site handover to the project’s developers.
Witnessing the gradual realization of the expansive Ca Mau-Can Tho Expressway, Danh Tinh, a resident of Ho Thi Ky Commune in Thoi Binh District (Ca Mau Province), expressed his optimism: “In less than ten months, we will be traversing this expressway. Enhanced connectivity will stimulate investment, reducing the need for local residents to seek employment in distant regions. Most importantly, access to advanced medical care in HCMC will be significantly expedited”.
Director Tran Van Thi of the My Thuan Project Management Board (project investor) reported that the project has achieved over 60 percent completion. Of the 117 bridges along the main route, more than half have had their deck surfaces completed, with six major bridges undergoing technical traffic testing.
In the Central region, the Van Phong-Nha Trang Expressway segment, spanning over 83km, has been substantially completed, adhering to the project schedule. The route includes 34 bridges, 85 underpasses, and a comprehensive drainage system.
Roadbed excavation and embankment works have reached 100 percent completion. The project’s progress is approximately eight months ahead of schedule, with operationalization targeted for April 30, as mandated by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Adjacent to this, the expressway segments passing Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Quang Ngai provinces are also progressing. Despite intermittent rainfall in Binh Dinh Province, construction activities on the North-South Expressway project remain unabated.
The Quy Nhon-Chi Thanh segment, with complex terrain requiring tunneling, sees intense construction. At Binh An 1 Village, workers are preparing foundations, paving asphalt, and building bridge decks. The expressway’s path, cutting through mountains, is now clearly visible.
Director Nguyen Van Quang of the Tunnel Project Management Board reports Son Trieu tunnels in Binh Dinh Province are excavated, lined, and Tunnel 1’s road is complete, promising a six-month advance, finishing by April 30. In Da Nang City, despite weather variations, Hoa Lien-Tuy Loan construction progresses with bridges, culverts, and paving at intersections. Project leaders confirm the 11.5km route will connect to existing expressways, with contractors aiming for completion by year's end.
Construction on the Khanh Hoa-Buon Ma Thuot Expressway segment in Dak Lak Province is proceeding rapidly, with contractors deploying significant equipment, machinery, and personnel for round-the-clock asphalt paving and slope stabilization, aiming for operational readiness by August 30.
The 32km section in Khanh Hoa Province is divided into three construction packages. Package 1, spanning 22km, has achieved over 45 percent completion and is scheduled for completion by December 31. Package 2, spanning 10km, has reached over 21 percent completion and is scheduled for completion in June 2026. Package 3, involving the construction of two bridges, is scheduled for completion by the end of June 2026.
Further north, on the North-South Expressway in Quang Trach District of Quang Binh Province, final construction activities are underway. Only ancillary tasks, such as drainage and landscaping, remain, with the expressway scheduled for operationalization by the end of June.
As reported by the Ministry of Construction, several projects commencing this year have secured substantial private investment, including the Dau Giay-Tan Phu Expressway (nearly VND9 trillion or $353 million), with VND7.7 trillion ($302 million) from private investors; the HCMC-Chon Thanh Expressway segment in Binh Duong (nearly VND17.5 trillion or $687 million), with component project 2 utilizing a public-private partnership model with a total investment of VND8.8 trillion ($346 million); and the Gia Nghia-Chon Thanh Expressway (nearly VND25.5 trillion or $1 billion), with VND12.7 trillion ($499 million) from private investors.
The ministry will develop and recommend to the government transformative mechanisms to attract non-budgetary resources for accelerated traffic infrastructure development nationwide, thereby stimulating economic growth.
