Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh Expressway expansion remains on schedule

With major bottlenecks in site clearance and material supply largely removed, construction of the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh section of the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway is progressing steadily and remains on schedule for completion.

Contractors have mobilized machinery and equipment for the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh section of the expressway. Photo by Pham Tung

The Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway plays a strategic role as the primary transport corridor connecting Long Thanh International Airport with Ho Chi Minh City during the airport's initial operational phase.

Construction advances simultaneously across the project

The 55-kilometer Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway was opened to traffic in 2015 with four lanes. However, surging traffic volumes, especially during peak hours and on weekends, have led to overcapacity and localized congestion along the initial section of the route, particularly around Long Thanh Bridge and the National Highway 51 interchange

In response to growing traffic demand, construction of the expansion project for the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh section commenced in August 2025. The project aims to significantly improve the expressway's traffic capacity, especially as the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport is scheduled to begin commercial operations by the end of 2026.

During the initial construction stage, the project encountered difficulties related to land acquisition and shortages of construction materials. These issues have now largely been resolved. According to the Dong Nai City Land Fund Development Center, about 90% of the land required for the project within Dong Nai City has been cleared. The city expects to complete site clearance by August 2026.

In Long Thanh ward, where a small number of affected households have yet to hand over their land, Le Hoang Son, Chairman of the Long Thanh Ward People’s Committee, said compensation and support plans for the remaining cases had been publicly announced. Local authorities are continuing to coordinate with relevant agencies to encourage affected residents to complete the handover process.

According to the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the project investor, contractors have accelerated work across the project after receiving most of the required land and securing stable supplies of construction materials. Road and bridge works are now being carried out simultaneously along the entire route.

At Package XL01, spanning Km4+000 to Km13+900 and including Long Thanh Bridge and Song Tac Bridge, contractors are putting the finishing touches on bored-pile foundations while accelerating the construction of pile caps, bridge piers, pier caps, girder launching, and the superstructure of approach bridges. Trial asphalt paving has also been completed at several sections of the roadway.

Project moves steadily toward completion

Under the current schedule, the expansion project is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2026, while the new Long Thanh Bridge is scheduled for completion in early 2027.

Pham Thanh Hai, Director in charge of the Southern Expressway Projects Management Unit (SEPMU) under VEC, said the project has reached more than 60% of its total contract value and remains on track for substantial completion by the end of 2026, ensuring transport infrastructure is ready to support the operation of Long Thanh International Airport.

Construction of the new Long Thanh Bridge under the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh Expressway expansion project.

The investor also noted that key construction materials, including sand, fill soil, and crushed stone, are now sufficient to meet construction demand. However, transporting these materials to construction sites continues to face challenges, particularly during the rainy season. To maintain the schedule, VEC has instructed contractors to increase the deployment of machinery and equipment, mobilize additional workers, and maintain round-the-clock operations in three shifts, particularly for bridge construction and girder installation works.

At the same time, contractors have proactively replaced part of the embankment fill with alternative materials better suited to wet-season construction conditions, helping minimize weather-related disruptions and maintain continuous progress.

The nearly 22-kilometer expansion project will widen the section between Ring Road 2 and Ring Road 3 (Km4+000–Km8+844.5) from four to eight lanes. The section from Ring Road 3 to the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau Expressway interchange, excluding Long Thanh Bridge (Km8+844.5–Km25+920), is being expanded from four to ten lanes. As for Long Thanh Bridge, a new five-lane bridge is being built alongside the existing Long Thanh Bridge for traffic traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh.

By Pham Tung – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho