The Lo Te – Rach Soi Expressway stretches over 51 km, is 17 meters wide with four lanes, and has a speed limit of 80 kph.
Built in 2016, the route cost over VND6.3 trillion (US$251.2 million) of state budget and was opened to traffic at the beginning of 2021.
The route does not have an emergency lane, only sections widened to serve as emergency stops.
Although it does not fully meet expressway standards, the route is managed according to expressway regulations. Currently, the road is toll-free with the aim of boosting socio-economic development, especially for the Mekong Delta region.
After three years of operation, many sections of the road are deteriorating and damaged, with some areas full of potholes, making it difficult for cars to pass.
Many sections are filled with potholes, forcing drivers to slow down to 20-30 kph.
In the photo above, damaged areas filled with rainwater can be seen at the beginning of the route in Can Tho City.
Nguyen Van Thanh, a 55-year-old driver who regularly transports shrimp on the expressway, said that if the road surface is smooth, the trip takes 50-60 minutes. However, in recent months, due to the deteriorating condition, the journey takes 80-90 minutes, affecting his business.
A section of the expressway through Vinh Thanh District, Can Tho City, is damaged in both directions.
A nearly one-meter-wide pothole occupies more than one-third of a lane in Tan Hiep District of Kien Giang, forcing vehicles to avoid it by moving into the other lane.
A degraded section that occupies more than one lane in width and stretches around 20m in length in Tan Hiep District.
Drivers have no other option but to slow down and carefully pass through.
Due to unsafe conditions, incidents frequently occur on the route.
On the evening of July 28, a collision occurred on a severely damaged section through Tan Hiep District. Fortunately, it caused no fatalities.
In response to the severe degradation, the My Thuan Project Management Board, which manages the construction and operation of the expressway, has launched a project to upgrade it with a total investment of approximately VND750 billion.
Construction began on June 10 and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Diep Bao Tuan, Deputy General Director of the board, stated that previously, any damaged spots were immediately patched to ensure safety, and the upcoming renovation project will be carried out on the entire route.
Besides resurfacing the pavement, the route will be equipped with a complete traffic safety system meeting national standards, he said.
The Lo Te – Rach Soi Expressway is part of the North-South Expressway in the Mekong Delta region. Besides connecting the central Mekong Delta area, it also links with the N2 Road through Dong Thap Province, providing a continuous connection between Ho Chi Minh City and its neighbor Binh Duong Province with the Mekong Delta without passing through National Highway 1A.
In future stages, the expressway will be expanded to six lanes with a bituminous concrete surface and a design speed of 100 km/h.
