The Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận expressway will open to traffic this year and all construction works related to it will be completed in April next year. –VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HCM CITY— An expressway in the Mekong Delta running between Tiền Giang Province near HCM City and Cần Thơ city will open to traffic at the end of this year.

Hồ Minh Hoàng, general director of Đèo Cả Investment Joint-Stock Company, the main contractor of the project, said his company would do its best to complete the Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận Expressway this year and complete all related construction works by April 30 next year.

The company will recommend that the Tiền Giang People’s Committee allows motorbikes and four-wheel vehicles to use the highway for free during Tết next year.

The province Department of Transport and the company have urged contractors, construction units and all officials, engineers and workers to speed up construction work.

During Tết 200 workers remained on the job to ensure the work progresses on schedule.

Hoàng has promised the project management board a bonus of VNĐ5 billion (US$215,000) if the highway opens to traffic by the end of this year and VNĐ10 billion (US$413,000) if all the work is completed on schedule.

Nguyễn Tấn Đông, director of the company, said 30 per cent of the construction is complete.

Banks have agreed to lend to the company VNĐ6.6 trillion (US$284 million) for the work this month.

The Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận Expressway will have a length of 55.1km and four lanes. It will reduce the travel time between HCM City and the Mekong Delta and reduce congestion on National Highway 1.

The construction was begun in 2009, stalled due to a lack of funds and was restarted in 2015. –VNS