Expressway network expected to create breakthroughs in Mekong Delta

A lot of expressway projects have been implemented and are about to start construction, creating a big opportunity for the Mekong Delta to vigorously develop.
My Thuan Bridge 2 project (Photo: Phan Huy)
My Thuan Bridge 2 project (Photo: Phan Huy)

These projects give the Mekong Delta a big opportunity to develop, realize its dream of escaping the low-lying area and keep up with the socioeconomic development momentum of the whole country.

On April 27 of 2022, Trung Luong-My Thuan expressway having a length of 51 kilometers and an investment capital of more than VND12,660 billion (US$539 million) was officially inaugurated after 13 years of construction.

This is an important traffic project, facilitating nearly 20 million Mekong Delta people’s travel and trade with Ho Chi Minh City and Southeastern localities, and removing the issue of congestion arising on the National Highway 1A through Tien Giang Province for several decades.

Tran Van Dam, Director of Loc Phat Company Limited, a cargo transport unit on the Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City route, said that the Trung Luong-My Thuan expressway has brought many benefits since it was put into exploitation.

The expressway shortens the distance and the travel time by 1.5-2 hours. That helps the company save travel time and fuel, ensure the construction progress and schedule, and reduce the risk of traffic congestion, especially during the Tet holiday.

In fact, each traffic section in the Mekong Delta invested and constructed has created more opportunities for goods trade and a driving force for the region to develop; helping millions of Mekong Delta people and tourists to save travel time..

In 2023, the Mekong Delta region’s people will witness the 23-kilometer-long My Thuan-Can Tho expressway being put into operation; thereby, forming a 135km long interprovincial expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho City.

According to Chairman of the People's Committee of Soc Trang Province Tran Van Lau, from now to 2030, the transport infrastructure system in the Mekong Delta region is expected to have breakthroughs.

The system of expressways and key traffic works will be formed, linking the Mekong Delta and Southeastern localities. That is a great opportunity for the region to change strongly, realize the dream of escaping the low-lying areas and keep up with the socioeconomic development pace of the whole country.

The system of expressways and key traffic works in the Mekong Delta is expected to be started in the first quarter of 2023, including Can Tho - Ca Mau route with a length of more than 110 kilometers and investment capital of VND27,500 billion(US$1.2 billion), the Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang section having a total length of more than 188 kilometers and investment cost of VND45,000 billion (nearly US$2 billion), the 15.2-kilometer long bridge project of Dai Ngai through Hau River, connecting Soc Trang and Tra Vinh over the National Highway 60 with more than VND8,000 billion (US$340 million) in investment capital), the Rach Mieu 2 bridge project connecting Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces with a length of 17.6 kilometers and an investment capital of VND5,200 billion (US$221 million) which was initially started in March of 2022 and so on.

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