Trung Lương- Mỹ Thuận Expressway open to traffic on April 27. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Trí

HCM CITY —  The Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận section of an expressway between HCM City and the Mekong Delta opened to traffic on Wednesday, 13 years after its construction began.

Part of the 196km HCM City-Cần Thơ Expressway, the section passes through five districts in Tiền Giang Province from Châu Thành to Cái Bè.

It is 51km (32 miles) long and has 39 bridges and 14 overpasses.

It is 16 metres wide with six lanes, six emergency stops in each direction but without emergency lanes yet.

The HCM City to Trung Lương section Expressway was completed in 2008. 

It reduces the travel time between HCM City and Tiền Giang from three hours to one hour and 45 minutes, is expected to bolster the socio-economic development of the delta and reduces the congestion on National Highway 1.

Earlier this year the new section was temporarily opened to traffic to handle the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday crowds.

Its construction began in 2009 and was expected to be finished in 2013, but suffered a number of delays due to lack of funds and changes to regulations.

The 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.  VNS