North-South Expressway Connects Hanoi to Da Nang

Three expressway sections, Vung Ang - Bung, Van Ninh - Cam Lo, and Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan, will open on 19/8, creating a continuous 750 km North-South expressway from Hanoi to Da Nang.

The Vung Ang - Bung expressway, costing over 12,540 billion VND and spanning nearly 56 km, traverses 13 km in Ha Tinh province and over 42 km in Quang Tri province. It begins at the Ky Hoa intersection (Ha Tinh), connecting to the Ham Nghi - Vung Ang expressway, and ends at Bo Trach commune (Quang Tri), linking with the Bung - Van Ninh expressway at the Phong Nha junction.

The route navigates challenging terrain, including hills, mountains, and lakes, requiring the construction of 33 bridges, comprising 28 on the expressway and 5 overpasses. The most significant structure is the Deo But tunnel through the Dong Nang mountain range (Ha Tinh). This nearly one-kilometer tunnel, costing over 1,000 billion VND, has a twin-tube design with a 45 m center-to-center distance. The left tube is 716 m long, and the right tube is 840 m long. Each tube is 15 m wide and 8 m high. In the initial phase, the right tube (north-south direction) will open first, followed by the left tube.

The route also features the Gianh river bridge, approximately 2.8 km long and 17.5 m wide, accommodating 4 lanes and costing over 1,000 billion VND. This is the longest bridge on the North-South expressway in Quang Tri province and is ready for operation.

Phase 1 of the project includes 4 lanes, a 17 m roadbed, and emergency stopping bays instead of a dedicated emergency lane. The design speed is 80-90 km/h.

Vung Ang - Bung expressway. Photo: Dac Thanh

The Van Ninh - Cam Lo expressway, stretching 65.5 km and costing nearly 9,920 billion VND, runs through Quang Tri province. It starts at Van Ninh commune, connecting to the Bung - Van Ninh expressway at National Highway 9B, and ends at Hieu Giang commune, linking with the Cam Lo - La Son expressway.

The terrain is relatively flat, except for a section through An Ma lake that required mountain cutting. The project includes 4 interchanges, 30 bridges, 41 underpasses, and 240 culverts. Phase 1 has 4 lanes and a design speed of 60-90 km/h. It features emergency stopping bays every 4-5 km instead of a continuous emergency lane. The Van Ninh - Cam Lo section runs almost parallel to the Ho Chi Minh road, and underpasses will be constructed at intersections for safety.

Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway connects La Son - Hoa Lien and Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressways. Photo: Nguyen Dong

The Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan expressway, an 11.5 km stretch costing over 2,100 billion VND, began construction in 9/2023 and will also open on 19/8. This final section connects the La Son - Hoa Lien expressway with the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway, passing through Ba Na commune, Hoa Khanh ward, and Lien Chieu ward (Da Nang). It has 4 lanes and a design speed of 60-80 km/h.

Of the 12 North-South expressway projects in phase 2 (2021-2025), which commenced on 1/1/2023 with a total investment of 146,990 billion VND and a length of 729 km, the Bai Vot - Ham Nghi, Ham Nghi - Vung Ang, Bung - Van Ninh (through Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Quang Tri) sections and 70 km of the Van Phong - Nha Trang section were completed and opened on 30/4.

The three projects, Vung Ang - Bung, Van Ninh - Cam Lo, and Hoa Lien - Tuy Loan, totaling 208 km, will connect with existing sections, forming a 750 km Hanoi - Da Nang expressway. The Ministry of Construction aims to complete all remaining projects through Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Can Tho, and Ca Mau by December of this year, connecting the entire 2,063 km North-South expressway from Lang Son to Ca Mau.