Traffic will be allowed in both directions on the section between Km0 and Km16 of the expressway. During the temporary operating phase, only cars with fewer than nine seats will be permitted on the route, with speed limits set between 60kph and 80kph.
The approval followed an on-site inspection by the Dong Nai Department of Construction, which confirmed that a 110kV power line at Km5+260 had been raised to a clearance height of 9 metres on May 17.
Authorities also agreed to close the Ham Nghi, Phung Hung and Bung Mon intersections from 8 am on May 18 to facilitate traffic organisation.
The department instructed project authorities to complete the installation of guardrails and B40 fencing and clear construction debris before 3 pm on May 18.
Contractors were also asked to install sufficient road signs for vehicles using frontage roads, provide traffic guidance and deploy personnel for traffic control.
Project developers were further ordered to address shortcomings on frontage roads, install additional traffic signs and accelerate construction of the Ham Nghi and Phung Hung overpasses.
The temporary opening is intended to ease traffic congestion and meet growing travel demand while gradually improving the effectiveness of the project.
The nearly 54 kilometres Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway has a total investment of about VND 17.8 trillion (USD 686 million) and consists of three component projects.
Once fully completed, the expressway is expected to reduce congestion on National Highway 51 and cut travel time between Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau to around 70 minutes.