The Hanoi Highway expansion project spans 15.7 km long, stretching from Saigon Bridge to the Tan Van interchange in Binh Duong Province.
With a total budget exceeding VND4.9 trillion ($192.43 million), the project was launched in 2010 to expand the highway to 12-16 lanes and scheduled for completion within 36 months. However, only an 11.5-km section from Saigon Bridge has been finished.
In the photo above, an underpass at an interchange in HCMC's Thu Duc City remains incomplete.
Construction near the tunnel section in Thu Duc City has been halted since 2023 due to compensation disagreements involving around 30 households over a 4,150 sq.m area.
Another 2 km stretch from HCMC's new Mien Dong (Eastern Region) Bus Station to the Tan Van interchange has also been stalled for years, creating a major traffic bottleneck at the tunnel exit.
The stalled section, managed by HCMC's Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority, lies within Binh Duong Province.
About 201 households covering 17 hectares are affected in this section. Currently, only 55 households (5.5 hectares) have accepted compensation, while disagreements over compensation prices persist between HCMC and Binh Duong authorities.
A completed road from Di An City (Binh Duong Province) connecting to the new Mien Dong Bus Station cannot open due to unresolved clearance issues involving Hanoi Highway.
Most land near the Tan Van interchange is occupied by businesses selling cranes, heavy machinery, and factories, complicating the clearance process.
Road surfaces near the new Eastern Bus Station and Tan Van interchange have deteriorated, creating dangerous potholes for vehicles.
Local residents face inconvenience and safety concerns due to the incomplete road.
"Every time I pass the Tan Van intersection and the new Eastern Bus Station, I feel uneasy because the road is bumpy, and motorcycle lanes are narrow but often encroached upon by container trucks," one commuter named Le Van Tien said.
The Tan Van interchange, located in Di An City, Binh Duong, is essential for connecting the highway with the future transport network around HCMC's eastern gateway.
