The province has requested that the prime minister seek parliamentary approval for the Bao Ha-Lai Chau Expressway, a four-lane, 162-km route expected to be completed in 2031.
The expressway would run from Bao Ha Commune in Lao Cai Province, connecting with the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway, to Ma Lu Thang International Border Gate in Lai Chau Province.
Designed for speeds of 80-100 kph, the route would include 118 bridges spanning about 49.4 km and seven tunnels with a combined length of 11.5 km.
Provincial authorities have proposed full state funding for the project.
Lai Chau said the expressway would improve links between economic centres, tourism areas and the Dong Pao rare earth mine, while strengthening trade with Yunnan Province in China through the Ma Lu Thang border crossing.
Under the proposed timeline, parliament would approve the investment policy in the fourth quarter of 2026, construction would begin in late 2027, and the expressway would open in 2031.