A section of Vĩnh Hảo-Phan Thiết expressway on the North-South Expressway. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — A proposal has been made to expand a 350km section of the North-South Expressway from four lanes to six.

The private developer Đèo Cả Group has proposed to the Ministry of Construction on the expansion plans using the public-private partnership (PPP) method.

The Mai Sơn-National Highway 45, Nghi Sơn-Diễn Châu and Vĩnh Hảo-Phan Thiết expressway sections are currently 17m wide and have four lanes.

The cost of the six-lane expansion would require a preliminary total investment of about VNĐ154 trillion (US$5.9 billion), with a medium-term public investment plan capital of about VNĐ103 trillion ($3.9 billion).

Utilising the PPP method is not only seen as feasible but would also save money from the State budget. 

Currently, Đèo Cả Group is leading the consortium building the HCM City-Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận expressway expansion project with 100 per cent of the capital mobilised by investors.

In addition, on the North-South Expressway, this enterprise is also the investor of the Cam Lâm-Vĩnh Hảo section project phase 1 under the PPP method, which has opened to traffic.

When the project is approved, the business will commit to coordinate with a number of other investors to ensure completion of the section.

At a previous meeting, Minister of Construction Trần Hồng Minh said the North-South Expressway was a vital traffic axis, playing a particularly important role in socio-economic development.

“In the past, with the attention and direction of the Party and State, the Eastern North-South Expressway has gradually been invested in, completing the connection of the entire route,” Minh said.

“However, many sections of the route are currently being invested in on a phased scale, with a limited four lanes."

The minister said that researching investment to expand and complete the North-South Expressway was essential, contributing to synchronous completion and a strong breakthrough in the construction of socio-economic infrastructure, ensuring safety and meeting the increasing transport and travel needs of the people.

Minh requested the project management board and consulting unit to review and evaluate the overall status of the entire Expressway from Cao Bằng to Cà Mau.

The assessment would be divided into three segments of Cao Bằng-Hà Nội, Hà Nội-HCM City and HCM City-Đất Mũi.

The Ministry of Construction agreed to prioritise the expansion of route sections according to the principle of transport needs and the ability to balance resources, with priority given to sections with large transport needs.

The Ministry of Construction has assigned the Department for Roads of Việt Nam (DRVN) to work with existing BOT project investors to agree on an expansion investment plan and update the results in the project pre-feasibility study report. VNS