Disarray at Ho Chi Minh City's largest interchange project as deadline looms

The An Phu interchange, a key link between Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh airport, is significantly behind schedule, prompting the city's People's Committee to demand action.

Both ends of the two-way underpass connecting the Ho Chi Minh City - Dau Giay expressway with Mai Chi Tho Road, towards the Thu Thiem tunnel, are flooded and filled with debris, with no signs of construction. (Photo caption italicized)

On 21/8, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Duc directed the director of the Management Board for Investment and Construction of Traffic Works in Ho Chi Minh City (the investor) to expedite the An Phu interchange project, with a new completion deadline of 31/12/2025.

As of the end of July, the project was only 70% complete. The investor has requested an extension to December 2026, a year behind the city's approved schedule.

This three-level interchange is currently the city's largest, with a total investment of over 3,400 billion VND. Construction began in 12/2022, with an initial completion target of 4/2025. The project aims to alleviate congestion at the eastern gateway to the city and improve connectivity to Dong Nai province, including Long Thanh airport.

Adjacent to the unfinished underpass is another underpass at the intersection of Dong Van Cong and Mai Chi Tho Roads, which opened at the end of June. This over 450-meter-long, 20-meter-wide, 4-lane tunnel cost approximately 342 billion VND. Originally slated for completion in 9/2024, delays in completing the pumping station pushed back the opening. (Photo caption italicized)

As of 23/8, the construction site remains in disarray, with overpasses, underpasses, and access roads far from completion, despite a scheduled end-of-year deadline for these elements.

The design plans include a two-way underpass connecting the expressway to Mai Chi Tho Road at the intersection of Luong Dinh Cua and Mai Chi Tho Roads and the Long Thanh expressway. Two overpasses are also planned: a Y-shaped overpass connecting Mai Chi Tho Road (near Hanoi Highway) and Luong Dinh Cua Road over the expressway access road, and a right-turn overpass from the expressway access road to Mai Chi Tho Road.

Two overpasses are planned for the top of this tunnel to connect the roads. This component is still under construction, with steel frameworks in place and machinery scattered below. (Photo caption italicized)

Meanwhile, construction of the Y-shaped overpass connecting Mai Chi Tho and Luong Dinh Cua Roads over the expressway access road has only begun on some of the pillars. Sections of the construction site are inadequately barricaded. (Photo caption italicized)

The road surface adjacent to the site is damaged and uneven, strewn with sand and gravel. Some barricaded sections lack sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to navigate through heavy traffic. (Photo caption italicized)

The chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has directed the director of the Department of Transportation to strengthen contract management and apply penalties to underperforming contractors. This includes transferring workload, replacing personnel, assessing capacity, updating information on the national bidding system, terminating contracts, and recovering advance payments. (Photo caption italicized)

Throughout the project, the An Phu intersection has experienced frequent congestion, especially during rush hour and holidays. "I deliver goods through here every day and dread the five-minute-plus wait at the red light. On days with heavy traffic, it can take an hour to get through," said Tran Van Lam, 33. (Photo caption italicized)

The first branch of the overpass at the intersection of Luong Dinh Cua, Mai Chi Tho, and the Long Thanh expressway is under construction. This branch allows vehicles to turn right from the expressway access road onto Mai Chi Tho Road.

Construction of the overpass branch has narrowed the road, causing frequent traffic jams, particularly at the entrance to the Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway.

Location of the An Phu interchange. Graphics: Khanh Hoang. (Photo caption italicized)

Workers and machinery are actively engaged in various aspects of the project.

The An Phu interchange project comprises approximately 24 contract packages, including construction, consulting, supervision, insurance, infrastructure relocation, and landscaping. The construction component alone involves over 10 main contracts with 20 contractors. Other elements, such as the central tower, landscaping, and lighting, have not yet begun and are still in the technical design phase.

The An Phu interchange is a key project aimed at resolving the persistent traffic congestion at the city's eastern gateway. Its completion will alleviate traffic and enhance the expressway's capacity, especially with the upcoming Long Thanh airport.

The project is the first step in transforming this area into one of Ho Chi Minh City's major transportation hubs, integrating various infrastructure projects, including Luong Dinh Cua Road, the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway, Ring Road 3, the Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang light rail, and the elevated Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh railway.