Huynh Thien, 50, regularly transports goods from Nhon Trach Industrial Park (Dong Nai) to Cat Lai Port (Ho Chi Minh City). The 40 km journey usually takes about an hour, but for the past week, it has taken him 5 to 6 hours due to lane closures on the Long Thanh Bridge on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway for expansion joint repairs.

On 17/7, encountering congestion on National Highway 51, Thien detoured onto Road 319 through Phu Huu Commune (Nhon Trach District) but couldn't escape the gridlock. His truck remained stationary for over 4 hours. The lengthy wait forced Thien to eat a boxed lunch in his cab and video-call his company to explain the delay. Many other drivers stood outside their vehicles; some even slept in their cabins.

Despite leaving early to meet a 5 p.m. delivery deadline, Thien had only traveled 10 km by 3:30 p.m. and was forced to turn back, unable to complete the order. "All three usual routes were jammed," he said, adding that he suggested to his company that he depart before dawn to meet schedules, even if it meant altering his entire work routine.

Driver Huynh Thien eats a boxed lunch inside his cabin while stuck in a 4-hour traffic jam on Road 319, Nhon Trach Commune. Photo: Quynh Tran

Driver Huynh Thien eats a boxed lunch inside his cabin while stuck in a 4-hour traffic jam on Road 319, Nhon Trach Commune. Photo: Quynh Tran

Minh Tuong, 35, a 29-seat bus driver on the Phuong Lam (Dong Nai) - Ho Chi Minh City route, faced a similar situation. The 140 km journey, previously a 4-hour trip, now regularly exceeds 6 hours. To avoid traffic, he used the Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway instead of Hanoi Highway, despite the higher tolls. However, since the expressway's lane restrictions, this route has also become severely congested.

"I used to make 1.5 trips daily, now it's down to one, a one-third drop in income. Sitting for hours in the heat exhausts both drivers and passengers," Tuong said.

Sharing the same predicament, Minh Tuan, 35, a 16-seat passenger bus driver on the Vung Tau - Ho Chi Minh City route, said that for the past week, each 80 km trip has taken 6 to 7 hours. On 17/7, his bus was stopped at the National Highway 51 intersection for over three hours as authorities regulated access to the expressway.

"Vehicles were allowed onto the expressway in groups of a few dozen, resulting in kilometer-long queues. Children on board were crying from the heat and stuffiness, and adults were exhausted from waiting," he recounted. Tuan's daily trips have been halved, cutting his income by 50%.

Drivers gather to pass the time during a prolonged traffic jam on Road 319, Nhon Trach Commune, Dong Nai Province, on the afternoon of 17/7. Photo: Quynh Tran

Drivers gather to pass the time during a prolonged traffic jam on Road 319, Nhon Trach Commune, Dong Nai Province, on the afternoon of 17/7. Photo: Quynh Tran

The congestion isn't limited to the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, but has spread to National Highway 1, National Highway 51, and Hanoi Highway, especially around the Tan Van intersection (formerly Di An, Binh Duong) - the site of the Ring Road 3 project. Ho Chi Minh City's main transport links with Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, and formerly Binh Duong rely on a few key arteries. Consequently, restrictions on one route overload the entire network.

Under this pressure, many drivers opted for the Cat Lai Ferry to bypass traffic jams, quickly overwhelming this route as well. Despite operating six ferries at 5 to 10-minute intervals, the sheer volume of vehicles caused backups at the Dong Nai ferry terminal.

According to Bui Van Quan, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Goods Transport Association, routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, such as National Highway 1, National Highway 51, and the Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, have been overloaded for years. Concurrent construction projects have exacerbated the situation.

"Transport companies have almost no alternative but to use these routes," Quan said, noting that traffic jams not only waste time and increase operating costs but also disrupt the entire supply chain.

Containers, trucks, and passenger vehicles are stuck on Road 319 through Nhon Trach Commune while waiting to enter the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh Expressway on the afternoon of 17/7.

Several factors contribute to the gridlock at Ho Chi Minh City's eastern gateways, including multiple simultaneous infrastructure projects. Most notably, barriers on the Long Thanh Bridge for expansion joint repairs at pier P26, a section previously patched with steel but no longer safe.

According to a representative from Vietnam Expressway Services Engineering Joint Stock Company (VEC E), the operator of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, the repairs require continuous 24/7 work, precluding nighttime work with daytime road reopening.

"We carefully considered the timing but had to proceed for safety reasons. Partially blocking the bridge inevitably leads to congestion," he explained. VEC E is coordinating with traffic police for remote traffic management and advising the public and businesses to adjust travel plans.

In response to the prolonged congestion, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Binh, Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police Department, said authorities are working with relevant parties on short-term solutions. These include minimizing construction barriers to maximize traffic flow and accelerating project completion.

Additionally, at critical points like the Tan Van intersection and Provincial Road 743, police have implemented traffic diversions, blocking some side roads to reduce traffic conflicts. "We have traffic police on duty 24/7 in congested areas, managing traffic flow to alleviate pressure on the transport system," Binh said.

Dinh Van - Giang Anh