Expressway to connect HCMC with southeastern region, Central Highlands

An expressway linking Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Phuoc province in the southeastern region and then Dak Nong province in the Central Highlands is of strategic importance, helping the two latter localities escape poverty and prosper, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh Expressway’s session passing through Binh Duong province on Saturday, the PM instructed HCMC to soon start construction of a 3 km section of the expressway and Binh Phuoc province to build 7 km.

“Once these sections are completed, together with that in Binh Duong province, the entire expressway will facilitate smooth connections between the Central Highlands and the southeastern region,” he stressed.

In the first quarter of 2025, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and related localities must complete all procedures to start construction of the expressway from Chon Thanh (Binh Phuoc) to Gia Nghia (Dak Nong) by April 30, 2025, he ordered.

The Prime Minister directed Binh Duong to complete its section by September 2, 2026, earlier than the original 2027 schedule.

The HCMC-Thu Dau Mot-Chon Thanh Expressway, from HCMC’s Ring Road 3 to Binh Phuoc’s Chon Thanh town, is 59.2 km long. This is the first expressway connecting HCMC with Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces, and then with Gia Nghia-Chon Thanh Expressway to link to the Central Highlands region.

The section in Binh Duong is more than 52 km long. It is designed with six lanes, enabling vehicles with maximum speed of 100 km per hour.

In the first phase, it will have four lanes with total investment of more than VND17.4 trillion ($693.8 million). Construction, under the public-private partnership (PPP) form, is scheduled to complete within 36 months.

The consortium of investors includes Becamex Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC), Becamex Infrastructure Development JSC (Becamex IJC), Becamex Binh Phuoc Infrastructure Development JSC (BCMC), and Deo Ca Group JSC.

On the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony, Binh Duong province handed over investment decisions to seven social housing projects. The projects, at total cost of nearly VND8.5 trillion ($338.92 million), are expected to provide 9,200 apartments to workers and low income earners.

Binh Duong also granted investment registration certificates or expansion permits to eight foreign-invested projects, with total investment of over $1.2 billion.