HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Transport has approved Dong Nai province’sproposal to widen Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh expressway to 10 lanes from itscurrent four.

Ministerof Transport Nguyen Van The has ordered the Cuu Long Corporation for InvestmentDevelopment and Project Management of Infrastructure (Cuu LongCorporation) to submit a pre-feasibility report for the proposal by the fourthquarter.

Thewidening of the 24km section from HCM City’s District 2 to Long Thanh townshipin Dong Nai will be done in 2021-2030 period, according to the ministry. 

Thesaid the Department of Planning and Investment would advise on how to sourcecapital for the work.

Healso urged the department to study about construction of elevated roads, lightrail and transit bus stations to connect the city with the proposed Long ThanhInternational Airport in Dong Nai.

Theprovince has said the expansion work is urgent since the expressway is “a keytransport route connecting the proposed Long Thanh International Airport.”

Trafficcongestion has become routine on both the expressway and the sectionof Highway No. 51 to HCM City during peak hours and holidays, itsaid. 

Thespots most often gridlocked are Long Phuoc and Dau Giay stations,branch D of Highway No. 50, inner roads connecting Highway 51, and Mai Chi Thoand Vo Chi Cong streets.

Thewidening will ease congestion when the airport opens in 2025.

TheCuu Long Corporation has recommended widening to eight lanes at a cost of 9.8trillion VND (422.36 million USD) from 2025 and to 10 lanes starting in2040. 

The55km expressway was built five years ago, shortening travel fromHCM City to south-eastern provinces to 20 minutes from the earlier 60and to Vung Tau to a little more than an hour.

Butdrivers have been complaining about the slow speed of traffic on the road,and the expressway management has to frequently warn people to take otherroutes.

Accordingto the Vietnam Expressway Services Engineering Joint Stock Company, whichmanages it, the traffic volume was 10 million vehicles in 2015 and 16.5 millionlast year. 

Itnow handles 52,000 vehicles daily (rising to 60,000 on holidays and Lunar NewYear) though its designed capacity is only 44,000, the company said./.