The Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road was constructed to meet the transportation demands of the road network connecting the Northwest region to Hanoi. The road construction began in 2014 and was operational by 2018.
The Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road spans 25.6 kilometers, starting from the intersection with the Road of Ethnic Cultures (Hanoi) and ending at Hoa Binh City.
In terms of scale, the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road is built to plain road grade-3 standards, with a 12-meter-wide foundation and an 11-meter-wide surface accommodating four lanes (two lanes for motor vehicles and two mixed lanes). The design speed is 80 km/hour.
The total investment for the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road project is VND 2,723 billion. The investor recoups the investment through toll collection at a station located in Hoa Binh, with a concession period of over 27.6 years.
According to the Master Plan for the Road Network for the period 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, approved by the Prime Minister, the Hoa Lac (Hanoi) – Hoa Binh expressway will have six lanes and will be completed by 2030.
Hoa Binh Province has agreed on the investment plan to upgrade the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road to an expressway standard with a length of 23 km (out of a total of 25.6 km, up to the intersection with National Highway 6). The road will feature six lanes with a designed speed of 100 km/h.
Additionally, the project includes a reserved land area for a railway on the left side of the expressway and the construction of a four-lane road system (two lanes on each side) outside the expressway’s scope.
The total investment for the entire project is expected to be around VND 9,382 billion, implemented in the form of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the use of state budget capital.
Thus, if the 23-kilometer section of the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road is upgraded to an expressway as planned, the cost per kilometer will be VND 513 billion (including the initial construction cost and the cost of upgrading to an expressway).
The figure of VND 513 billion per kilometer would make the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Expressway (23-kilometer section) the second most expensive expressway in Vietnam, surpassing the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, which costs VND 510 billion per kilometer. It is only second to the current most expensive expressway in Vietnam, the Hai Phong-Ha Long Expressway, which costs VND 557 billion per kilometer. The picture shows the Hai Phong-Ha Long Expressway.
According to observations, the number of vehicles traveling on the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road is relatively low, and the traffic flow is smooth and uncongested.
In contrast to the morning, traveling on the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road at night is quite inconvenient due to the lack of street lights as of now.
The expansion project of the Hoa Lac-Hoa Binh Road is considered a crucial project for Hoa Binh Province. Upon completion, the project will synchronize the infrastructure of the Hanoi-Hoa Binh-Son La-Dien Bien expressway system, connecting the capital city of Hanoi with the Northwest provinces. Moreover, it plays a significant role in attracting investment and promoting the socio-economic development of Hoa Binh Province. The picture shows the project’s endpoint, intersecting with National Highway 6.
