First section of Ho Chi Minh City's ring road 3 nears opening

The initial 9-km stretch of ring road 3, connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province via the Nhon Trach bridge, is expected to open on 19/8.

On the Dong Nai side, ring road 3 will open from the intersection with road 25B. This 6-km section leading up to the Nhon Trach bridge is largely complete. Work continues on the access ramps, overpasses, and parallel roads.

After three years of construction, the first section of Ho Chi Minh City's ring road 3 is nearing completion. This 9-km stretch, part of component project 1A, runs from the junction with the Ho Chi Minh City-Dau Giay expressway, across the Nhon Trach bridge, to the intersection with road 25B in Dong Nai province.

Aerial views show the access ramps to the expressway within Ho Chi Minh City taking shape. The Nhon Trach bridge itself is finished, having undergone technical testing on 30/4.

The main roadway has been paved, marked, and signed. Dong Nai province has designated two lanes for cars and two mixed lanes from road 25B to the Nhon Trach bridge. Motorcycles are restricted to Ly Tu Trong road.

Lighting, medians, and guardrails are fully installed. The initial section of ring road 3 is designed as a 4-lane expressway with speeds of 80-100 km/h, incorporating overpasses and parallel roads.

Solid medians and metal anti-glare panels are in place. Traffic signs, directional signs, and signals are also complete, preparing the route for operation.

The Nhon Trach bridge is essentially complete after three years of construction. The bridge has 39 piers and two abutments. The main section consists of five piers and four spans, with a navigational clearance of 30.5 m. This 1,800 billion VND project is the largest bridge within the ring road 3 project.

Ho Chi Minh City will initially complete about 400 m of the main route and some access ramps to the expressway at this interchange. A 200-m temporary road will allow vehicles from the Nhon Trach bridge to turn right toward the toll station, access the Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway, and vice-versa.

Workers and machinery are busy completing the remaining components for the opening of the first 9 km of the ring road 3 project.

Ring Road 3 route map. Graphics: Khanh Hoang

The approximately 2.5-km long, 20.5-m wide bridge has six lanes and an 80 km/h speed limit. Most components are finished, and road markings are being prepared.

The bridge will shorten travel times between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province, Long Thanh international airport, and neighboring provinces.

While the Dong Nai side of the Nhon Trach bridge access road is complete, the Ho Chi Minh City side is currently being paved. This section, part of package XL1, started a year later than the bridge, resulting in asynchronous progress. To ensure connectivity, Ho Chi Minh City will open a temporary road before all components are finished.

The interchange connecting ring road 3 with the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh expressway is taking shape. Some access ramps to the expressway are being paved for the opening.

With an overpass crossing ring road 3 and four ramps, the interchange connects various roads and links to the Ben Luc-Long Thanh expressway. This is one of six major interchanges on ring road 3, including junctions with the Ben Luc-Long Thanh expressway, Tan Van, Binh Chuan, provincial road 10, and the Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong expressway.

Nearby, the section of ring road 3 passing through Ho Chi Minh City is also nearing completion, expected to open later this year. This 14.7-km section, located in the former Thu Duc city, connects the Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway to the Tan Van interchange.

Beyond the elevated section, the remaining parts of the ring road in the city, within the former districts of Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Binh Chanh (almost 33 km), will undergo technical testing at the end of 4/2026, two months before the full route becomes operational.

Ring road 3, spanning over 90 km through Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Tay Ninh provinces, has a total investment of nearly 75,400 billion VND. The 15.3-km My Phuoc-Tan Van section in the former Binh Duong province is already complete. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2026, creating a crucial inter-regional transport and economic corridor in southern Vietnam.