Traffic chaos grips eastern HCMC as construction chokes key routes

For several days, drivers have endured severe gridlock on the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway, a vital link between Dong Nai Province and Ho Chi Minh City, due to lane closures for expansion joint repairs on Long Thanh Bridge, which forms part of the expressway.

The repairs began Tuesday and are expected to last 15 days.

Huynh Thien, 50, a truck driver who regularly transports goods from Nhon Trach Industrial Park in Dong Nai to Cat Lai Port in HCMC, said his usual 40-km route, which typically takes an hour, now requires five to six hours.

On Thursday, after encountering congestion on National Highway 51, another route connecting the two localities, he tried an alternate path via Route 319 through Phu Huu Commune, but still became stuck in traffic.

Driver Huynh Thien has a meal in his truck while being stuck in a heavy traffic jam on his way from Dong Nai to Ho Chi Minh City, July 17, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

His truck remained immobile for over four hours. "I had to get out, buy a boxed meal, and call my company to explain the delay," he said.

"I left early in the morning for a 5 p.m. delivery, but by 3:30 p.m., I had only moved 10 km. I ended up turning back. All three usual routes were jammed." Thien has now proposed departing before dawn, despite the disruption to his work schedule.

Other drivers have faced similar struggles. Minh Tuong, 35, a minibus driver commuting daily between Dong Nai and HCMC, said his income has dropped by a third. "I used to make one and a half trips a day on average; now it’s just one. Sitting in a hot vehicle for hours wears everyone down," he said.

Minh Tuan, 35, who drives a 16-seat van from Vung Tau to HCMC, said his 80-km trip has taken six to seven hours lately.

On Thursday, his van was stuck for over three hours at the Highway 51 interchange in Dong Nai's Long Thanh Commune as authorities limited access to the expressway.

"Only a few dozen vehicles were allowed at a time, and the rest queued up for kilometers. Children were crying from the heat, adults exhausted from the wait," he said.

Tuan now only makes one trip a day, cutting his earnings in half.

Drivers get off their vehicles, standing in between lines of trucks stuck in a traffic jam on Route 319 in Dong Nai Province, July 17, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

The gridlock extends beyond the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway to National Highways 1 and 51, Hanoi Highway, and the Tan Van interchange in Binh Duong Province, where construction on Ring Road 3 is underway.

With eastern HCMC’s transport heavily reliant on a handful of main routes, a disruption at any point causes a ripple effect across the entire network.

In response, many drivers have turned to the Cat Lai Ferry across the Dong Nai River to bypass road congestion. But the ferry, despite six boats operating every 5–10 minutes, has become a new bottleneck, with jams forming at the Dong Nai terminal.

Bui Van Quan, chairman of the HCMC Goods Transport Association, said roads connecting HCMC with Dong Nai and Ba Ria–Vung Tau, such as Highways 1, 51, and the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway, have long been overloaded.

"With multiple projects running simultaneously, the situation is worsening," he said.

"Transport firms have no alternative routes. The delays not only waste time but also raise costs and disrupt the supply chain."

Vietnam Expressway Services Engineering JSC (VECE), which manages the expressway, said the repairs are essential and must proceed continuously.

"We carefully chose the timing, but safety is our priority. With part of the bridge closed, congestion is inevitable," a VECE spokesperson said. The company is working with traffic police to redirect traffic and has advised businesses and residents to adjust travel schedules.

Numerous trucks, container vehicles, and passenger buses were immobilized along Route 319 in Nhon Trach Commune, Dong Nai, July 17, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Binh, deputy head of HCMC’s Traffic Police, said authorities have implemented short-term measures to ease congestion. These include reducing the construction zone to free up more road space and accelerating project timelines.

At hotspots like the Tan Van interchange and DT 743, traffic police have blocked smaller roads and redirected vehicles to ease pressure. "We’ve deployed officers around the clock to manage flow and reduce system overload," he said.