The Ministry of Construction (MoC) has dispatched a document to 11 provinces and cities to solicit feedback on the pre-feasibility study report for a project to expand several sections of the Eastern North-South Expressway.
The localities involved include Dong Nai city and the provinces of Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong.
Under the medium-term public investment plan for the 2026–2030 period, the MoC has organized the preparation of a pre-feasibility study to widen many sections of the Eastern North-South Expressway. The plan aims to upgrade segments currently featuring four "limited" lanes (17 meters wide) to a complete six-lane expressway standard.
The ministry has requested local authorities to evaluate the project's necessity and socio-economic efficiency. Localities are also encouraged to propose suitable investment models, choosing between public investment and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). Furthermore, the MoC called for recommendations on "special mechanisms" to resolve bottlenecks in land clearance, construction material supply, and project implementation.
Earlier, while chairing a meeting on June 9 on the investment preparations for the expansion, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh reached a consensus on upgrading the four-lane sections to six lanes in accordance with the national master plan. This approach is intended to ensure long-term synchronization and avoid the inefficiency of multiple incremental expansions, which waste time and resources and disrupt the operation of the entire route.
The MoC has also ordered a comprehensive review of the entire North-South Expressway corridor from the northern mountainous province of Lang Son, which borders China, to the southernmost province of Ca Mau. The route is divided into three primary segments: Lang Son – Hanoi, Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City, and Ho Chi Minh City – Dat Mui (in Ca Mau province). Based on an assessment of traffic volume, technical standards, and transport demand for each specific section, authorities will determine the investment scope and the order of priority for implementation.
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