The Ministry of Transport has green lighted a VND5,000 billion ($216 million) proposal to expand Thang Long Boulevard in Hanoi by 6.7 kilometers, connecting with Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Expressway.
The new section will be a six-lane highway with parallel roadways on both sides and two lanes for motorized vehicles in each direction, the same size as the current Thang Long Boulevard.
It begins at the intersection of Thang Long Boulevard and National Highway 21 and ends at Km6+700 of Hanoi-Hoa Binh Expressway.
The national budget will contribute VND2,000 billion ($86.45 million) to the project investment, with Hanoi covering the balance. Construction is scheduled to complete by 2026.
With a road width of 12 meters, Thang Long Boulevard to Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Expressway's road surface is currently deteriorated and bears a high traffic density. The new section is expected to help ease traffic flow between Hanoi and neighboring Hoa Binh province.
Thang Long Boulevard is nearly 30 kilometers long and serves as a radial highway to the west, linking the core of Hanoi with Hoa Binh and Northwest regions. It has been operational since October 2010 with a scale of six lanes and parallel roads on both sides.
Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Expressway is 26 kilometers long and has been in service since October 2018 with two lanes and an average speed of 80 kph. In future, this road will be extended into a four-lane expressway, with a total proposed investment capital of VND8,168 billion ($353 million).
Hoa Binh is a northwestern mountainous province, home to a vary of industrial parks like Yen Quang, Mong Hoa, Lac Thinh, and Nhuan Trach. The province also boasts a beautiful highland landscape and hosts the giant Song Da hydro power plant.