Hanoi’s Department of Transport has proposed 11 infrastructure development projects to the city’s People’s Committee, including the expansion of the Ring Road 2 section from Ngã Tư Sở to Cau Giay, encompassing the current Lang Road.
The initial concept for the project involves upgrading and widening the Ring Road 2 elevated and ground-level sections between these two points, with an estimated total investment of over VND 21 trillion (approximately $900 million). Once completed, Lang Road will span 53.5 meters in width, with a designed velocity of 80 km/h, serving as a major urban artery.
 Lang Road experiences high traffic volume. Photo: Thạch Thảo
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However, transportation experts have expressed concerns about the feasibility of this massive project. Some argue that Lang Road has long been an urban road rather than a ring road, and widening urban roads is not a fundamental solution to congestion when infrastructure struggles to keep up with the growing number of vehicles.
Furthermore, inner-city road expansion projects inadvertently hinder Hanoi’s goal of reducing private vehicle usage, and the cost of land clearance for such projects is substantial.
Mr. Phan Hoang Phuong, Head of the Department of Urban and Rural Transport at the Institute for Transport Strategy and Development (under the Ministry of Transport), affirms that widening Lang Road, which is part of Ring Road 2, aligns with the city’s master plan.
“This is one of the last bottlenecks on Ring Road 2. Hanoi has already widened most sections of Ring Road 2 according to the plan, so continuing to expand the remaining sections, including Lang Road, will ensure a synchronized investment and operation of the infrastructure,” Mr. Phuong stated. He added that it would also be in line with the Prime Minister’s Decision 519/QD-TTg on the approval of the Hanoi Transport Planning until 2030, with a vision towards 2050.
Mr. Phuong emphasized the necessity of upgrading the entire route, stating that failing to do so would result in a waste of resources invested in previously widened sections and could even diminish the value of the entire road.
“While there is a significant demand for traffic on the ring road, not investing in expansion means the bottleneck will persist,” he said. “Of course, expansion is not the only solution to congestion. Along with widening the road, we must continue to control private vehicles and develop public transport.”
Aerial view of Lang Road. Photo: Thạch Thảo
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Providing further insights, Mr. Phan Truong Thanh, Head of Planning and Finance Department at Hanoi’s Department of Transport, stated that the Ring Road 2, as per the plan, is 39 kilometers long and forms a closed loop. However, 6.1 kilometers remain unimproved, including the Ngã Tư Sở – Cau Giay section (coinciding with the current Lang Road) and a 2-kilometer section north of the Red River.
“Therefore, prioritizing the completion of the 39-kilometer closed loop of Ring Road 2 is essential,” Mr. Thanh said. “Doing so will address traffic congestion and improve intersections on critical transport routes, while also helping to reduce congestion on the current Ring Road 3.”
However, Mr. Thanh emphasized that the information provided is preliminary, and the total investment estimate of over VND 21 trillion is only a rough calculation. The proposed plan is not final, and further studies will be conducted to assess its effectiveness, feasibility, and social impact.
N. Huyen
