Aerial view of the rest stop facilities on both sides of the expressway. — VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG — A high-quality, full-service rest stop on the Vĩnh Hảo–Phan Thiết expressway begins operations on Monday (January 26), providing facilities for drivers and passengers travelling during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday, project authorities said.

Phạm Quốc Huy, deputy director of Project Management Board 7 under the Ministry of Construction, said key infrastructure at the site in Hàm Thuận Bắc Commune (formerly part of Bình Thuận Province) has been completed, including restrooms, parking areas, access roads and core service facilities.

A fuel station and electric vehicle charging area have largely been built but are awaiting final regulatory approvals and are expected to open before the Tết holiday. Remaining components are being accelerated, with full completion scheduled for April 2026, he said.

The rest stop complex, developed under domestic standards for large-scale highway service areas, has a total investment of more than VNĐ310 billion (US$12.3 million).

It comprises two facilities located on opposite sides of the expressway, each covering about five hectares.

The project is being implemented by a consortium led by Thành Thành Nam, Châu Thành, Việt Hàn, Sài Gòn Investment and Thành Thành Công Lâm Đồng.

The Vĩnh Hảo–Phan Thiết expressway stretches more than 100km through the formerly Tuy Phong, Bắc Bình, Hàm Thuận Bắc and Hàm Thuận Nam districts and has been in operation since 2023.

It is a key segment of Việt Nam’s North-South Expressway network. Another rest stop on the route, in Vĩnh Hảo Commune, is currently under construction.

With the new facility coming online, the expressway corridor from HCM City to Nha Trang will have four operational rest stops.

Authorities expect the addition to help ease congestion and improve road safety during Tết, the country’s most important holiday period, when travel demand typically surges nationwide. — VNS