A section of the new Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận expressway in Tiền Giang Province which is expected to open to traffic on January 21. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Trí

HCM CITY — The Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận Expressway between Tiền Giang Province and Cần Thơ City in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta is scheduled to open to traffic on January 21.

Nguyễn Tấn Đông, general director of the BOT Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận Joint Stock Company, the main contractor, said the main road and connecting roads were basically complete.

They cost more than VNĐ12 trillion (US$519 million).

Construction began in 2009 and was expected to be finished in 2013, but the work was postponed several times due to lack of funds and changes in investment policies.

BOT Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận Joint Stock Company came into the picture in 2019, and worked hard to ensure the expressway opened on schedule despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The expressway has a length of 51.5km and four lanes.

It is part of the eastern section of the North-South Expressway.

The expressway, which is an extension of the existing HCM City-Trung Lương Expressway, together with the under-construction Mỹ Thuận-Cần Thơ Expressway will enable smooth transport from HCM City to Cần Thơ City.

It will shorten travel between the cities to two hours from the current three to four hours. — VNS