The Chon Thanh – Duc Hoa section of Ho Chi Minh Highway runs through the southern provinces of Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, Tay Ninh and Long An, all parts of the Southern Key Economic Zone.
The section was first invested by funds raised from selling government bonds, but in 2011, the funding policy for the project was changed as the government wanted to reduce public investments to ease pressure on state funds.
The section runs from the intersection with National Highway 12 in Binh Phuoc’s Chon Thanh District to the intersection located near ring roads No.3 and No.4 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Until now, several parts of the section have been completed, including the overpass running above National Highway 13 in Binh Phuoc Province as seen in the photo above.
After the project was suspended in 2011, the Ministry of Transport switched to building the section under the built-operate-transfer (BOT) format.
Later, it was calculated that the section would need at least VND6.9 trillion ($289 million), with the time to recover capital to exceed 24 years. The solution was therefore considered unfeasible and unattractive to private investors.
The road leading onto the overpass is blocked to save the bridge from being degraded by the time the entire section is completed.
Stretching three kilometers, a section in Bau Bang District of Binh Duong Province that belongs to the Chon Thanh – Duc Hoa route remains a potholed dirt road.
In Tay Ninh Province, an overpass crossing National Highway 22 in Trang Bang Town was finished five years ago.
This bridge is also awaiting the completion of the entire Chon Thanh – Duc Hoa section.
