Deputy PM Mai Văn Chính speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cát Lái Bridge. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐỒNG NAI — Authorities in the southern province of Đồng Nai on Thursday broke ground on a series of major transport and housing projects worth an estimated VNĐ50 trillion (US$1.9 billion), part of efforts to strengthen connectivity around one of Việt Nam's largest economic regions.

The seven projects include two long-planned bridges across the Đồng Nai River connecting the province with HCM City, as well as new roads and more than 6,000 units of social housing.

The largest project, Cát Lái Bridge, is intended to replace the ageing ferry crossing that currently handles much of the traffic between the two localities.

Once completed, the bridge is expected to relieve pressure on the HCM City–Long Thành–Dầu Giây Expressway and improve access to ports, industrial zones and the Long Thành International Airport.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính underlined the role of transport infrastructure in the country's long-term growth.

He said infrastructure projects must come first, rather than follow, urban expansion, and should be planned within a broader regional framework rather than along administrative boundaries.

Deputy PM Chính said Cát Lái Bridge was intended to provide a more direct link between Đồng Nai and HCM City, easing pressure on existing routes and supporting growth across the surrounding region.

A ferry crossing at the location where the Cát Lái Bridge will be built. — VNA/VNS Photo

According to Construction Corporation No. 1, which represents the investor consortium, the Cát Lái Bridge will span nearly 12km. The eight-lane bridge will feature a 450-metre cable-stayed main span designed to allow river traffic to pass underneath.

The project carries a price tag of more than VNĐ20.6 trillion ($784 million) and is scheduled for completion in 2029 under a public–private partnership model.

A second project, Long Hưng Bridge, will link An Phước Commune in Đồng Nai with Long Phước Ward in HCM City. The eight-lane bridge, with a design speed of 80km per hour, is expected to cost approximately VNĐ11.5 trillion ($438 million) and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Provincial officials say the bridges are central to plans to support the expansion of the Long Thành International Airport area, which is being developed as an airport-centred urban zone integrating logistics, industry and residential areas.

The projects are also expected to reduce traffic pressure on existing river crossings and arterial roads.

Alongside the bridge projects, Đồng Nai also inaugurated a riverside road along the Đồng Nai River, began construction of Nha Bích Bridge on National Highway 14 and launched three social housing developments in Phước An Commune and Long Hưng Ward.

The projects represent one of the most significant upgrades to transport infrastructure in southern Việt Nam in recent years, reflecting a shift toward region-wide planning as urban growth continues to push beyond city boundaries. — VNS