Vietnam has commenced construction on the Vinh-Tan Thuy Highway, which will connect the northern region with Laos. The project has a total investment of approximately 24 trillion dong (about $1.37 billion) and spans 65 kilometers, with a completion target set for 2029. This highway is a key segment of the Hanoi-Vientiane regional corridor.
According to Vietnamese media outlet VnExpress, the groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 18 in Nghe An province, following a previous event in Dai Hue. The highway will begin at the Hung Thuy interchange, connecting to the eastern North-South Expressway's Dien Chau-Bai Bot section, and will end at the Tan Thuy-Nam On border area at the Vietnam-Laos border.
The planned route will feature six lanes, with the first phase involving the complete construction of four lanes, while major bridges will be built to accommodate six lanes. The road will have a width of 32.25 meters, with design speeds ranging from 100 to 120 km/h in certain sections, and 60 to 80 km/h in mountainous areas where the width will be 29 meters. The total land area used for the project is approximately 582 hectares, including 98.5 hectares of upstream protection forest, 141 hectares of production forest, 221 hectares of rice fields, and 31 hectares of residential land.
The Vinh-Tan Thuy Highway is part of the Hanoi-Vientiane connection corridor, which was agreed upon by the governments of Vietnam and Laos in 2016. The Vietnamese section of the corridor spans approximately 370 kilometers, with about 310 kilometers overlapping with the currently under-construction eastern North-South Expressway. Once completed, travel time from the Tan Thuy border to urban areas and ports within Nghe An province is expected to be significantly reduced. This will enhance connectivity between Vietnam's northern region and Laos, as well as Thailand. It is also anticipated to increase visitor traffic to tourist attractions such as Cua Lo Beach, Kim Liên Historical Site, and Phu Mat National Park.
Bui Thanh An, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, emphasized at the groundbreaking ceremony that "this project is a strategic infrastructure initiative at both regional and national levels," and he called for close cooperation among various agencies, requesting support from the central government and relevant departments.
In recent years, the Vietnamese government has prioritized funding for several east-west routes, including the North-South Expressway (eastern section), the Cai Nha-Buon Ma Thuot, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau, the Chau Doc-Kan Tho-Soc Trang, and the Quy Nhon-Pleiku routes, aiming to complete a total of 5,000 kilometers of highways by 2030.
This project is expected to enhance transportation infrastructure through modern and integrated facilities, strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. Additionally, it aims to develop safe and sustainable transportation options, contributing to regional development and reducing traffic accidents.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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