The expressway is expected to cut travel times by about an hour for people travelling from southwestern provinces towards National Highway 51 in Dong Nai, providing easier access to Long Thanh International Airport, industrial parks, the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port complex and the Vung Tau area.
It will also allow motorists to avoid several heavily travelled routes in Ho Chi Minh City, including Nguyen Van Linh, National Highway 1, Vo Van Kiet, Mai Chi Tho, Phu My Bridge and Vo Chi Cong, before reaching National Highway 51.
The Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the project's developer, said the full opening would help redistribute traffic across the southern road network, easing pressure on existing routes and improving links between major transport hubs.
As the regional transport network expands, the expressway is expected to strengthen connections with the Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 3, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, Long Thanh International Airport and the region's seaports, industrial parks and logistics centres, VEC said.
Construction of the nearly 58km expressway began in 2014. The four-lane route, with two emergency stopping lanes, runs through Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh.
About 30km of the route had previously opened to traffic and toll collection. The remaining section, more than 27km long and including the Phuoc Khanh and Binh Khanh bridges, has now been completed, allowing the entire expressway to open.
