On the morning of November 7, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh, acting on behalf of the prime minister, submitted a proposal to the National Assembly seeking approval in principle for three expressway projects: Moc Chau-Son La-Dien Bien (the section within Son La Province), Bao Ha-Lai Chau (the Bao Ha-Tan Phong section) and Quang Ngai-Kon Tum.
Construction Minister Tran Hong Minh presents to the National Assembly a draft plan for three mountain expressways on November 7 (Photo: Nhu Y).
According to the proposal, the three projects will have a combined length of approximately 430km and be built as four-lane expressways, with design speeds ranging from 80 to 100kph, depending on the route.
The preliminary total investment is estimated at VND 162.4 trillion (approximately USD 6.3 billion), including more than VND 158.3 trillion from the central government budget.
The government plans to carry out investment preparations in 2026-2027, conduct compensation, support and resettlement work, and begin construction in 2027. The projects are expected to be substantially completed by 2030 and open to traffic in 2031.
Three expressways to connect mountainous and border regions
Of the three projects, the Moc Chau-Son La-Dien Bien expressway section in Son La Province will be the longest, at nearly 180km, with an estimated investment of VND 63.12 trillion (approximately USD 2.45 billion).
The project aims to strengthen connections between Son La, Hanoi and other localities in the region, while gradually completing the expressway network in Vietnam's northern midland and mountainous areas.
The Bao Ha-Lai Chau expressway, covering the Bao Ha-Tan Phong section, will stretch approximately 119km across Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces, with an estimated investment of VND 50.99 trillion (approximately USD 1.98 billion).
The project is expected to improve connections between Lai Chau, Hanoi and neighbouring provinces, while addressing limitations in the existing transport network, particularly the risk of road closures caused by landslides in mountainous areas.
The Quang Ngai-Kon Tum expressway will be approximately 132km long within Quang Ngai Province, with an estimated investment of nearly VND 48.3 trillion (approximately USD 1.88 billion).
The route is intended to strengthen east-west connectivity by linking the eastern North-South Expressway with the western North-South Expressway, improving access between the Central Highlands and seaports along the eastern coast.
Minister Tran Hong Minh said the early development of these expressways was necessary because existing national highways connecting mountainous localities with regional economic centres remained limited in capacity and technical standards, and were frequently affected by natural disasters.
Once operational, the expressways are expected to cut travel times by around 50-60 per cent compared with existing national highways. They are also expected to promote trade, production, tourism and poverty reduction, while strengthening national defence and security.
Public investment proposed as BOT projects deemed financially unviable
The government has proposed implementing all three projects through public investment.
According to the government, public-private partnership (PPP) options under build-operate-transfer (BOT) contracts had been considered. However, financial assessments showed that even with the state covering 50-70 per cent of the total investment, the projects would still lack a viable payback period.
The proposed expressways pass through mountainous and border areas with challenging socio-economic conditions and significant ethnic minority populations. They are also considered important for regional connectivity, national defence and security.
To accelerate implementation, the government has proposed five groups of special mechanisms and policies, covering the delegation of authority to adjust investment policies when the National Assembly is not in session, compensation and resettlement arrangements, contractor appointment, planning adjustments and the designation of sites for construction waste disposal.
Notably, the government has proposed allowing contractors for project packages to be appointed directly, with the process and procedures governed by the Law on Bidding.
