The lane heading toward Dong Nai Province and Vung Tau beach town is long and congested, while the lane leading into downtown Ho Chi Minh City remains relatively clear.
The An Phu Interchange, a three-level structure but not yet completed, continues to experience significant traffic pressure.
The project will have a two-way underpass linking the Ho Chi Minh City–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway with Mai Chi Tho Boulevard (on the Saigon River tunnel side) and extending through to the Mai Chi Tho–Dong Van Cong intersection.
The construction, which began in late 2022, is budgeted to cost over VND3.4 trillion (US$129 million).
Construction is only around 70% complete.
Due to the heavy traffic on the expressway, traffic police erect barriers and redirect vehicles to ease congestion.
About 5 km away, the intersection of Ring Road 2 and the Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway also experienced serious traffic congestion in both directions, and traffic police had to direct vehicles onto the expressway.
The Ring Road 2 is also congested with container trucks entering and exiting the Cat Lai and Phu Huu ports, exacerbating traffic jams.
Many impatient drivers get out of their cars and sit waiting, calling relatives to inform them about the traffic jam and how they couldn't make it on time.
"I've been waiting for almost two hours but still can't get onto the expressway. Now I can't even turn back because everything around me is completely gridlocked," said Nguyen Minh, 55, driving a 7-seater car with his family on their holiday trip.
