A part of the Mai Sơn-National Highway No.45 that runs past Thanh Hoá Province. The expressway is scheduled to be open to traffic this May. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuấn

HÀ NỘI — The Department of Roads of Việt Nam (DRVN) has just requested road management agencies to raise the maximum speed on highways designed with four lanes to 90km per hour.

For projects that have been put into operation or temporarily operated, the DRVN required the road management agencies units to coordinate with relevant units to assess the safety situation.

The units should report to competent authorities shortcomings or adjustments during the operation of vehicles on highways.

For projects that are completing construction, and preparing to be put into operation such as Cao Bồ - Mai Sơn, Mai Sơn - Highway 45, and Phan Thiết - Vĩnh Hảo, the DRVN asked the road management agencies to co-operation with investors, and design and traffic safety consultants to review design requirements, the actual status of the routes, weather conditions and traffic safety solutions.

After reviewing, the agencies will evaluate and give suggestions to ensure that the roads could adjust technical specifications such as lane increase, speed humps and safe distance signs post installation, and a speed increase to 90km per hour for all routes on the eastern part of the North-South Expressway.

Currently, four-lane highways in Việt Nam are limited to a maximum speed of 80km per hour.

However, after the DRVN announced the new expressway basic standard, the speed limit of a four-lane highway may change depending on the actual conditions of the roads, weather and traffic.

In any case, the maximum operating speed should not exceed 90km per hour.

According to the new basic standard, a series of four-lane expressway projects that are about to be completed such as Mai Sơn – National Highway 45, Dầu Giây - Phan Thiết, and Phan Thiết - Vĩnh Hảo will be suitable for a maximum speed of 90km per hour.

Currently, sign posts of the maximum speed of 80km per hour are installed on the three highways.

Along with the highways that are about to be completed, the whole country currently has two highways of Cao Bồ-Mai Sơn and Trung Lương - Mỹ Thuận that have been put into operation with four lanes with a maximum speed of only 80km per hour. — VNS