The Vĩnh Hảo - Phan Thiết section (101km) of the North-South Expressway open to traffic on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh

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HCM CITY — Two additional sections of the North-South Expressway, Nha Trang - Cam Lâm (49km) and Vĩnh Hảo - Phan Thiết (101km), opened to traffic at 10am on Friday, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency on Thursday, Uông Việt Dũng of the ministry’s chief office, said initially, a toll would not be collected on both sections when they are open to traffic.

The permitted speed is between 60 and 80km per hour. Compared to some other highways, this speed is lower because in the first phase, the road surface is designed to be only 17m wide with four lanes and no emergency lanes.

Both sections will be widened from the current four lanes to six lanes when the maximum speed will go up from 80km per hour to 120km, Dũng added.

The Nha Trang - Cam Lâm section in Khánh Hòa Province has an investment of VNĐ7.6 trillion (US$321.8 million) under the public-private partnership model, of which the State budget accounts for VNĐ2.97 trillion.

Meanwhile, the Vĩnh Hảo - Phan Thiết section in Bình Thuận Province costs VNĐ10.85 trillion ($460.5 million) and is under the management of the ministry’s Project Management Board 7.

According to the transport ministry, the two expressways being put into operation on Uncle Hồ’s birthday holds a significant meaning.

Nha Trang - Cam Lâm Expressway’s construction time has been shortened by three months.

Nha Trang - Cam Lâm Expressway is one of three component projects of the first phase of eastern North-South Expressway Project in the 2017-20 period invested in the form of public-private partnership.

Vĩnh Hảo - Phan Thiết Expressway helps drivers travelling from HCM City and southern provinces to reach Bình Thuận Province without having to use National Highway No 1. Once the construction of Vĩnh Hảo - Cam Lâm section is completed, drivers can travel directly from HCM City to Nha Trang City via highway.

The opening of Nha Trang - Cam Lâm and Vĩnh Hảo - Phan Thiết expressways has increased the length of the completed North-South Expressway to 835km, an increase of 458km compared to the period before 2020.

Earlier, the 99km Dầu Giây - Phan Thiết section and the 63.4km Mai Sơn - National Highway No. 45 section of the expressway opened to traffic on April 29.

Costing VNĐ12.5 trillion ($532.75 million) to build, the Dầu Giây - Phan Thiết section reduces travel time from HCM City to Phan Thiết to around two hours from five.

The Mai Sơn - National Highway No. 45 section between northern Ninh Bình and central Thanh Hóa provinces costs VNĐ12 trillion ($511.44 million) to build.

According to the Ministry of Transport, other sections of the North-South Expressway are slated to be completed by the end of 2023.

Among key national projects, the expressway, when completed, will run all the way from the northern border province of Lạng Sơn to the southernmost province of Cà Mau.

It goes through 32 provinces and cities, connecting four key economic regions, including two major economic hubs – Hà Nội and HCM City. — VNS

The Nha Trang - Cam Lâm section (49km) of the North-South Expressway. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Sáu

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