Strategic transport projects accelerate Dong Nai's growth

Transport infrastructure, particularly the road network, is identified as one of the potentials and powerful drivers that accelerate Dong Nai's development in the coming time.

Component Project 1, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project is expected for completion in 2026, opening up a vast development space for the province. Photo: Pham Tung

Therefore, in the new development phase, many strategic road transport infrastructure projects have been proposed for early investment completion to form a synchronous and modern network.

Foundation for forming growth poles

According to the plan, phase 1 of Long Thanh International Airport (airport) will be completed and put into operation in the first half of 2026. With Long Thanh Airport, Dong Nai province has obtained the final "piece" needed to complete a synchronous transport infrastructure system including all 5 modes of transport: road, rail, maritime, inland waterway, and airway.

Comrade Truong Thi Huong Binh, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Director of the Department of Finance, said: Long Thanh Airport, the expressway system, and urban railways will be one of the main drivers for promoting the socio-economic development of Dong Nai province in the coming years.

Construction of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway section passing through the province is being accelerated to put it into operation.

Among the transportation modes, the road transport system is considered the "backbone" for the province's development. With a series of large projects that have been and are being implemented, Dong Nai is currently the locality with the fastest developing road network in the country.

Particularly, there are currently 7 national highways passing through the province with a total length of about 480km. At the same time, there are 10 expressways that have been, are being, and will be implemented, thereby contributing to making Dong Nai one of the leading localities in the country in terms of the number of expressway projects passing through the province (10 out of 86 projects, accounting for 11.6%). In terms of length, Dong Nai province currently accounts for about 7.6% of the total length of expressways nationwide. "This is a favorable condition for Dong Nai province to form industrial and urban growth poles associated with key arteries," said Truong Thi Huong Binh.

Projects expected to reach the “finish line” early

Currently, with the system of national highways, expressways, and provincial roads, Dong Nai has basically formed an external and internal transport system serving the travel and goods transportation needs of the people.

More than 6km of Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 3 section passing through the province has been put into operation. Photo: Pham Tung

However, according to the assessment of the consulting consortium of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), the consulting unit for the revised master plan for Dong Nai province for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, after the provincial merger, Dong Nai was divided into 2 separate areas by Tri An Lake and Cat Tien National Park, with the former Binh Phuoc province area in the North, and the former Dong Nai province area in the South. The current transport connection between the two areas is still very limited, and most current connection journeys have to go through Ho Chi Minh City.

In a bid to remove this "bottleneck," Dong Nai province is currently investing in a Project to build the connecting Road from Dong Xoai to Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4 via Provincial Road 753, Ma Da Bridge; the route connecting Ma Da Bridge to Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4. However, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Phu, Vice Rector of University of Transport Ho Chi Minh City, the fact that there is only one transportation axis connecting the northern and southern parts of Dong Nai province is insufficient.

In the draft revised master plan for Dong Nai province for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the consulting consortium proposed adding 5 road transport routes, including: an expressway connecting Dong Xoai - Bien Hoa (following the direction of Provincial Road 761), forming North-South axis No. 1; a route connecting Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh expressway with Dau Giay - Lien Khuong expressway, forming North-South axis No. 2; research and development of an additional Ring Road 5 (based on National Roads 56 and 56B); a border road connecting border communes and 5 border gates: Hoang Dieu, Tan Thanh, Hoa Lu, X16, Loc Thinh; and the Dong Nai Riverside Boulevard (adding the section from Hoa An Bridge to Long Hung Ward) connecting riverside urban areas.

Therefore, in the draft revised master plan for Dong Nai province for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, regarding the development plan for the road transport infrastructure network, the consulting consortium proposed that Dong Nai province mobilize diverse resources to develop modern technical infrastructure, prioritizing strategic transport projects and routes connecting Long Thanh Airport. At the same time, the province is also advised to upgrade intra-provincial infrastructure.

Accordingly, priority should be given to completing strategic transport projects such as: Long Thanh - Ho Tram expressway, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway, Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4, and direct connecting routes to Long Thanh Airport, ensuring fast, convenient, and smooth flow of goods and passengers within the region. In parallel, focus should be placed on upgrading the intra-provincial transport system including the North-South, East-West axes, main inter-commune arterial routes, and ecological ring roads, thereby increasing connectivity between industrial parks, logistics centers, urban areas, and agricultural production zones.

By Pham Tung – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha