Ho Chi Minh City's People's Committee recently submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Construction for review. This initiative follows the Prime Minister's directive to reassess and upgrade expressways that were initially developed in phases.

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee stated that Ring Road 3, spanning approximately 130 km, is designed for eight lanes with a speed limit of 100 km/h. This route traverses Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Tay Ninh, with various sections being developed by different investors.

The elevated section of Ring Road 3 through eastern Ho Chi Minh City, paved in 2/2026. *Photo: Ha Giang*

Currently, several sections are already operational. These include the My Phuoc – Tan Van route through Binh Duong, which has six lanes, and the Nhon Trach bridge, featuring four lanes. Furthermore, nearly 40 km of the Ben Luc – Long Thanh expressway, aligning with a segment of Ring Road 3, is under construction. This section will include four main lanes and two emergency stop lanes.

The remaining section, stretching over 76 km, is being developed by local authorities as a phased, four-lane restricted expressway. Each lane measures 3,75 m wide, with a design speed of 80 km/h. This segment lacks continuous emergency lanes, instead providing designated stopping areas approximately every 5 km. Despite this, land clearance for this section has already been carried out to accommodate a full eight-lane configuration.

Ho Chi Minh City's assessment indicates that the current investment scale across the entire route is inconsistent, with some sections failing to meet full expressway standards. This disparity negatively impacts traffic flow capacity. While the city presented two upgrade options, it advocates for expanding the entire route to eight expressway lanes. This expansion would encompass both existing operational segments and those currently under construction. The preliminary total investment for this upgrade is estimated at approximately 60,000 billion VND.

For the parallel road systems flanking the expressway, local authorities along the route will assess the appropriate scale and timing for their investment.

The route of Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3. *Graphic: Khanh Hoang*

Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 stands as the largest road infrastructure project currently underway in the southern region. Beyond the already completed segments, the more than 76 km portion managed by local authorities involves a total capital exceeding 75,300 billion VND. This substantial investment covers numerous sub-projects related to land clearance and construction.

The project officially commenced in 6/2023. As of now, overall construction progress stands at approximately 70%, with the entire route anticipated to be open to traffic by mid-this year.

Giang Anh