HCM City's Metro Line No. 1 conducted a first test run on an elevated section in Thủ Đức City on December 21, 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh

HCM CITY — Major transport projects are expected to create infrastructure breakthroughs for HCM City.

Ring Road No 3, identified as one of the city’s key and urgent traffic projects in the 2021-25 period, runs through HCM City and the southern provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương and Long An.

With an investment of VNĐ75.4 trillion (US$3.2 billion), the Ministry of Transport is the investor of the project.

The project has a total length of 76.34km, including 47.51km in HCM City’s Thủ Đức City and the districts of Củ Chi, Hóc Môn and Bình Chánh.

Construction on the project restarted on the Tân Vạn - Nhơn Trạch section in September last year after prolonged delays due to a lack of funds and difficulties in site clearance.

The Tân Vạn - Nhơn Trạch section consists of a 1.92km segment in HCM City, and a 6.3km segment spanning across Đồng Nai.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025 and put in official operation in 2026.

The second key project is Metro Line No 1 between Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Suối Tiên Theme Park in Thủ Đức City.

The line has a total length of nearly 20km, including 2.6km underground, running through 14 stations, with three underground stations.

It has a total investment of more than VNĐ43.7 trillion ($1.9 billion)

The project has received investment of over VNĐ43.7 trillion ($1.85 billion), VNĐ38.2 trillion ($1.62 billion) of which is from loans.

Construction on the first metro line began in August 2012 and is 93 per cent complete, according to the city Management Authority for Urban Railways.

A test run was conducted on an elevated section from Suối Tiên Station to Bình Thái Station in Thủ Đức City on December 21 last year.

The line is expected to be put into operation at the end of this year.

Metro Line No 2 will connect Bến Thành Market in District 1 and Tham Lương Depot in District 12, with an investment of VNĐ47.9 trillion ($2 billion).

With a total length of 48km, the second metro line will run across districts 1, 3, 10, 12, Tân Bình and Tân Bình.

Its first phase will be 11.3km, including a 2km elevated section and a 9.3km underground section, with 11 stations, including 10 underground and one elevated.

The city strives to start the project in 2023 and finish it in 2028. It will connect with the first metro line.

Crossing the Soài Rạp River, Cần Giờ Bridge is expected to connect Nhà Bè and Cần Giờ districts, and replace the Bình Khánh ferry.

The Bình Khánh ferry is currently the only way to reach Cần Giờ from the city and is badly overloaded.

The new bridge will have a total length of more than 3.6km, with four motor vehicle lanes and two mixed lanes.

It will cost nearly VNĐ10 trillion ($424 million).

The city is carrying out investment preparation to start construction in the following year, and complete it in 2028.

The HCM City-Mộc Bài Expressway will connect HCM City with Mộc Bài, which is an international border gate between Việt Nam and Cambodia in Tây Ninh Province.

Currently, the only road connecting HCM City and Tây Ninh Province is National Highway 22, which has become overcrowded.

The expressway will have a total length of 53.5km, including 23.7km in HCM City, with total investment of VNĐ16.7 trillion ($707.8 million).

It is the beginning of the Ring Road No 3 project and connects with the Ring Road No 4 project.

The project’s first phase is expected to start next year and be completed at the same time as Ring Road No 3 in 2026.

HCM City and Tây Ninh signed a cooperation agreement for the road in 2019.

The authorities of the two localities are also building shopping malls and service facilities along the project to raise revenue for construction of the expressway.

HCM City and Tây Ninh Province are among eight provinces and cities that make up the southern key economic zone.

The new HCM City-Tây Ninh Expressway is expected to ease congestion and facilitate economic growth in the southern region, especially in industrial parks, export processing zones and the Mộc Bài Border Gate Economic Zone.

It will enhance transport connectivity and promote trade between Việt Nam and neighbouring countries.

A number of key transport projects began construction at the end of last year such as upgrading and expanding National Highway No 50 in Bình Chánh District, building the third passenger terminal at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Tân Bình District and An Phú Intersection in Thủ Đức City. — VNS