Vân Đồn-Móng Cái Expressway, which opened for traffic last September shortens traveling time from Móng Cái City, Quảng Ninh Province to Hà Nội from six to three hours. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has urged sectors and localities to strengthen the connection between expressways to bring into full play investment efficiency and foster regional socio-economic development.

He made the order in a directive issued on Saturday.

According to the directive, resources from State and local funds have been allocated to invest in the expressway network with 1,729 km of expressways across the country.

Major expressways are under construction, such as the eastern section of the North-South Expressway, ring roads of Hà Nội, HCM City and expressways connecting the Central Highlands, southwestern and northwestern regions.

It is expected to have 3,000 km of expressways by 2023 and 5,000 km by 2030.

The Cabinet leader said the expressways have created an important driving force to help localities open up new socio-economic development space. A lot of urban areas, industrial parks, service, and tourism sites have been formed along the expressways.

The construction of expressways has also improved the efficiency of land fund exploitation and use, as well as created more jobs for local people.

PM Chính pointed out shortcomings, including a lack of connection between expressways and local roads. The expressway construction is not relevant to planning so localities have not fully taken advantage of potential new development spaces to promote local socio-economic growth.

In order to maximise the investment efficiency of expressways, create motivation and promote regional socio-economic development, the PM requested the Ministry of Transport and local authorities to review the arrangement of intersections connecting expressways with local traffic networks.

Sectors and localities must ensure safe distance of expressways consistent with design standards in order to connect urban and rural areas, industrial parks, export processing zones, hi-tech areas, tourism sites, seaports, airports and international border gates.

This mission must be accomplished by the fourth quarter of this year, he said.

The transport ministry has been assigned to propose a capital mobilisation plan and call for investment from all legal sources to invest in expressway intersections.

This aims to bring into full play the efficiency of expressways, creating new development spaces and driving force to promote local socio-economic growth, he said.

The transport ministry and local authorities have also been tasked with reviewing local planning to ensure synchronised connection between expressways and local main roads.

Important national and regional projects, industrial parks, economic zones, export processing zones, high-tech parks, and tourist areas must be linked with the development of the expressway network, the PM said, assigning the Ministry of Planning and Investment to take responsibility for this task.

Local authorities have been asked to ensure savings and the highest possible efficiency when making investments in local roads connecting with national expressways. — VNS