The My Thuan Project Management Board has submitted a pre-feasibility study for the Duc Hoa-My An section of the western North-South Expressway to the Ministry of Construction for appraisal.
The 63-km route will connect HCM City's Ring Road 4 in Tay Ninh Province with the My An-Cao Lanh Expressway in Dong Thap Province.
The project will be funded by the state budget and initially built with four lanes and a design speed of 120kph.
Project planners have proposed two options. The first, a conventional embankment road, would cost nearly VND 37 trillion and require the acquisition of more than 500 hectares of land, affecting 459 households.
The second option, which would build the entire route as an elevated expressway, is estimated to cost more than VND 45.4 trillion but would affect fewer households and require significantly less land clearance.
After assessing technical factors and the potential to minimise disruption to residential areas and irrigation systems, the project developer recommended the elevated option.
If approved, construction is expected to start in 2027 and be completed within three years.
The expressway is expected to improve connectivity between Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, HCM City and the Mekong Delta while easing pressure on National Highways N2, 1 and 62, which often experience heavy congestion during major holidays.