The Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), investor in the HCM City-Long Thanh Expressway expansion, said on October 5 that the project's main components were broadly on schedule, with overall progress reaching nearly 73 per cent of the contracted plan.
The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway expansion project at the National Highway 51 interchange (Photo: Hoang Binh).
VEC and contractors are working to complete the viaduct and road sections in November so traffic can be reorganised and work can begin on the existing road section. The Long Thanh Bridge is scheduled to be connected by the end of December and completed in February 2027.
However, asphalt concrete works across the construction packages are facing significant pressure because of the large volume of work remaining and a shortage of asphalt supplies linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
Contractors are facing severe material shortages, with suppliers currently able to meet only a small proportion of demand, VEC said.
To address the problem, VEC has asked authorities to take measures to regulate and stabilise imports of asphalt materials. The corporation will also work with contractors and suppliers to prioritise deliveries for the project.
The HCM City-Long Thanh Expressway expansion covers about 21.92km, running from the Ring Road 2 interchange to the interchange with the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway.