Vietnam targets over 6,400km of expressway by 2030

Vietnam has set a target of constructing a national expressway network totaling over 6,400 kilometers by 2030 following a revised plan recently approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, according to government portal baochinhphu.vn.

The plan, a revision to a decision made by the Prime Minister in 2008, will expand the network from 2,500 kilometers in 2020 to 6,411 kilometers within the next decade, according to the decision signed by the PM.

A section of the 105-kilometer Hanoi - Hai Phong Expressway. (Photo: VNExpress)

The objective of the new plan is to form a network of national expressways to ensure connectivity between key economic centers, ports and airports, and important traffic hubs with large transportation flows.

It focuses on building expressways along the north-south axis that connects major cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang and the largest seaports and airports across the country with other localities.

Although separate from the current road network, it will be accessible from existing roads to help relieve traffic congestion, primarily in big cities like Hanoi and HCMC, and can be linked with other modern networks in Southeast Asia in the future, according to the plan.

The north - south axis, measuring over 3,000 kilometers, will have two many arteries running to the west and east of the country.

In the northern part of the country, there will be 14 radial expressways connecting Hanoi with other cities in the region.

There will be three main expressways in the central region and Central Highlands with a total length of 264 kilometers.

Seven main expressways will also be built in the southern region with a total length of 983 kilometers.

Vietnam will need VND181.2 trillion ($8.52 billion) from the state budget and VND213.3 trillion from other sources including the private sector to complete 2,700 kilometers of expressway from 2015-2020 following the most optimistic scenario set out by the Ministry of Transport last year.

As of last year, Vietnam had around 1,142 kilometers of existing expressways, according to the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam.