Prime Minister Approves Plan to Widen North-South Expressway, La Son – Hoa Lien Section
The Prime Minister has issued Decision No. 348/QD-TTg, approving the investment policy for the project to widen the North-South Expressway, La Son – Hoa Lien section. The 65-kilometer project will connect the Cam Lo – La Son Expressway to the Hoa Lien – Tuy Loan Expressway. The project aims to expand the road surface and civil structures to four complete lanes with a 22-meter-wide roadbed, aligning with the technical standards of the existing route and conforming to Grade 80 specifications.
A section of the La Son – Hoa Lien Expressway
The project will follow the existing La Son – Hoa Lien Expressway alignment, starting at Kilometer 0 and paralleling Provincial Road 14B to Khe Tre town, then along Provincial Road 14C through the Bach Ma National Park buffer zone, crossing De Bay Pass, and following Provincial Road 601 through Mui Trau Pass to Hoa Lien. The project involves an investment of approximately 3,011 billion VND from the state budget comprising 1,173 billion VND from the medium-term public investment plan for 2021 – 2025 and 3,009 billion VND from the central budget reserve corresponding to the central revenue increase in 2022.
The construction period for the La Son – Hoa Lien Expressway expansion project is 2023-2025. The Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Transport (MoT) as the project owner and responsible for submitting the investment proposal and ensuring the accuracy of the information presented in the project’s pre-feasibility study report. MoT will also prepare and approve the project’s feasibility study report as prescribed by law.
MoT is responsible for selecting a competent contractor in accordance with legal regulations, ensuring transparency, objectivity, quality, efficiency, and adherence to the project timeline. They must prevent any misconduct or waste that could result in the loss of state assets or capital. MoT will closely coordinate with the People’s Committees of Thua Thien Hue Province and Da Nang City, as well as relevant ministries and agencies, during project implementation. They will also monitor and supervise the project’s progress and quality as required by law.
The La Son – Tuy Loan section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway passes through Thua Thien Hue Province and Da Nang City. It is part of the North-South Expressway, which was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 140/QD-TTg dated January 21, 2010. In accordance with resource requirements and the Prime Minister’s approved investment policy, the MoT has authorized the construction of the La Son – Tuy Loan highway section under the Build-Transfer (BT) contract model, with a total investment of 11,485 billion VND. The La Son – Hoa Lien segment had two lanes and a 12-meter-wide roadbed. In the 2021-2025 span, the Hoa Lien – Tuy Loan segment transitioned to a four-lane configuration. The project commenced operation in April 2022, and its financial settlement is ongoing.
According to the MoT, upgrading the section to a four-lane expressway will significantly enhance the capacity of the La Son – Hoa Lien Expressway. Combined with the Cam Lo – La Son and Da Nang – Quang Ngai expressways, this project will form a crucial transportation link connecting major economic centers in the region, boosting competitiveness and spurring the growth of industry, urban development, tourism, and services.
