Nguyen Phuc Nhan, director of the Quang Ngai Department of Construction, said on August 12 that the department was working with consultants to complete a feasibility study for the project.
The 48-kilometre upgrade is estimated to cost about VND 2.35 trillion (USD 92 million) and will run through Ba To, Ba To, Ba Dinh, Ba Vi and Kon Plong communes.
A key part of the project involves realigning the highway between Ba Vi and Kon Plong to avoid a difficult section of Vi O Lac Pass, which has steep gradients and numerous sharp bends.
The route is also prone to landslides during the rainy season, sometimes disrupting traffic.
According to the provincial construction department, upgrading the existing route would require extensive work on complex slopes, while some sections cannot be widened to meet design requirements.
It has therefore proposed building nearly 14 kilometres of new road to replace about 21 kilometres of the existing route, shortening the journey through the area by around seven kilometres.
Preliminary plans include viaducts and bridges over rivers and streams, allowing the new alignment to have gentler gradients and improved curve radii for safer and easier travel.
National Highway 24 stretches about 225 kilometres and is a major east-west transport link through Quang Ngai and towards parts of the Central Highlands.
The highway also passes through the Mang Den tourist area, a popular highland destination in Quang Ngai.