$570-mln section of Vietnam’s longest expressway near completion

Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway, connecting to the 300-km Hanoi – Ha Long Expressway to become the longest expressway in the country, is receiving the final touch.

It will run more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) and have four lanes to allow a maximum speed of 120 kph. Once completed, the section will shorten the time to travel from Van Don Economic Zone to Mong Cai Town that borders China to 50 minutes instead of two hours.

A section of the expressway that is almost complete.

Work started on Apr. 3, 2019 in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode, at the original cost of VND11.2 trillion ($484.76 million).

But in May 2020, the government approved a proposal by Quang Ninh authorities to split the expressway into two different projects: the Van Don – Tien Yen section that stretches 16.8 kilometers and costs more than VND3.65 trillion of the state budget, and the 63.26-kilometer Tien Yen – Mong Cai section built under the PPP format at VND9.11 trillion.

A worker polishes the barrier for painting.

Vu Van Khanh, director of the Management Board of Investment and Construction of Traffic Works in Quang Ninh, said the Van Don – Tien Yen section will be completed within this month while the Tien Yen – Mong Cai section will be finished within the second quarter.

Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway is the longest interprovincial route in Vietnam. It is part of Hai Phong – Ha Long – Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway that links northern port city Hai Phong with Quang Ninh, home to world-renowned Ha Long Bay.

Anti-landslide work makes progress on the section that runs through Tien Yen District of Quang Ninh.

The surface of the expressway is covered with asphalt, with steam seen rising due to the heat.

The temperature of the asphalt is measured at more than 150 degrees Celsius.

The entire Van Don – Mong Cai Expressway boasts 32 bridges, some crossing the sea.

One such sea-crossing bridge is Van Tien that spans 1.5 kilometers to link Van Don and Tien Yen districts of Quang Ninh.

The bridge has been covered with asphalt. Costing VND800 billion, it is the largest bridge of the Van Don – Mong Cai expressway project and the longest in Quang Ninh.

The bridge is built with reinforced concrete. Its surface spreads 25.25 meters wide to have four car and two emergency lanes for vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

Van Tien Bridge is connected to Dai Xuyen Bridge, which spans 450 meters and costs VND167 billion.