HÀ NỘI – The project to broaden Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Expressway – the southern gateway to Hà Nội – from four to six lanes has nearly been completed and will be operational before the Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays.

Phạm Văn Khôi, general director of the Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ BOT Company, said workers had put in extra shifts to complete the asphalt installation by December 25. They are now finishing up the expansion of the access road, he said.

However, Khôi said site clearance for the final two kilometres of access road expansion has not been completed.

“If the Hà Nội authority is not able to clear the site by the end of February, the project investor will leave that part for the city’s authority to finish,” Khôi said.

From 2012 to 2014, toll revenue from vehicles travelling on the highway was VNĐ1.2 billion (US$53,500) per day, but the amount increased to more than VNĐ2 billion per day during 2016-17.

In October 2017, the toll fee was reduced by 25 per cent. The revenue for 2018, however, was similar to that of 2017 since the volume of vehicles increased by more than 20 per cent to around 50,000 vehicles per day.

Non-stop toll collection will be conducted on the Pháp Vân – Cầu Giẽ Expressway in the first quarter of the year at a total of 46 collection gates.

In order to address potential traffic congestion along the Pháp Vân intersection, Khôi said the highway investor had suggested the transport ministry and Hà Nội invest in expanding the intersection.

Earlier, the transport ministry and the city had agreed on an investment of VNĐ420 billion to improve and expand the intersection.

The Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway, with a total length of around 29 kilometres, is expected to cater to 60,000 vehicles per day.

The new road will be linked to Cau Gie-Ninh Binh highway, allowing vehicles to travel at 100-120km per hour throughout the entire route.

The total investment for the project was VNĐ6.7 trillion. –VNS