The Ministry of Transport recently organized and inaugurated four expressway sub-projects: Mai Son (Ninh Binh) – QL45, QL45 – Nghi Son, Nghi Son – Dien Chau, and Dien Chau – Bai Vot (Ha Tinh).
With a total length of over 200 km, the four projects were planned to include three rest stops along the Mai Son – QL45, Nghi Son – Dien Chau, and Dien Chau – Bai Vot sections. However, none of these rest stops have been constructed or completed to date.
As the expressway lanes are only two lanes wide on each side (without an emergency lane) and lack rest and refueling stations, driving long distances, especially for long-haul trucks, can be challenging and stressful for many drivers.
To ensure the safety of people and vehicles and create a seamless experience, the government has, on at least three occasions in 2023 and early 2024, instructed relevant ministries, departments, and the Transport Project Management Unit under the Ministry of Transport to complete the construction of these rest stops. However, none have been built so far.
The Mai Son – QL45 expressway project, which was completed and opened to traffic earliest (April 30, 2023), has now been open for over a year, but a rest and refueling station is still lacking.
To provide a temporary solution for drivers to rest and use the bathroom, the investor, Thang Long Project Management Unit, set up a makeshift rest stop on the planned rest area without any accompanying services.
However, due to its small size, only a few cars can park there, and large trucks cannot access it.
At the Nghi Son – Dien Chau and Dien Chau – Bai Vot expressway projects, which were opened to traffic on September 2, 2023, the investors and project enterprises also arranged similar temporary rest areas for drivers. However, due to their makeshift nature, their capacity to serve drivers is very limited.
The Nghi Son – Dien Chau and Dien Chau – Bai Vot expressway projects have also allocated land for the construction of rest stops, but the construction of these facilities has not yet begun.
The North-South Expressway in the East, in both phase 1 (2017-2020) and phase 2 (2021-2025), has a total of 21 rest stops planned, with 10 in phase 1. However, when the 11 phase 1 projects were inaugurated, the investors (Project Management Boards under the Ministry of Transport) and investors had only completed the road sections with a width of two lanes each, without emergency lanes, rest stops, or refueling stations.
In response to inquiries about the absence of rest and refueling stations on the expressways, a representative from the Vietnam Expressway Corporation under the Ministry of Transport explained that the main reason was the need to select separate investors for these components. Additionally, some localities have not handed over the entire cleared land, and the implementation process has encountered new regulations under the new Land Law.
Regarding the progress of the rest stops on the North-South Expressway, the representative from the Vietnam Expressway Corporation stated that as of October 2024, eight phase 1 rest stops have selected investors for construction. Therefore, for the North-South Expressway in the East, including the Ninh Binh – Ha Tinh section, the Corporation has requested that the investors and contractors basically complete these eight rest stops before the Lunar New Year holiday, including essential facilities such as parking lots and restrooms.
Unlocking Speedy Success: Ministry of Transport’s Impressive First Half with High Disbursement Rates and Fast-Tracked Expressway Projects
Several North-South Expressway components are on track to be completed ahead of schedule, with potential time savings ranging from 3 to 6 months, or even up to 8 months. Marking a significant milestone, the construction of the final two projects on the Ho Chi Minh Road has commenced, bringing the goal of a fully connected route by 2025 closer to reality. The Ministry of Transport continues to maintain its position as one of the top-performing ministries in terms of disbursement of public investment capital nationwide.
Minister of Transport: Don’t complete the North-South Highway without rest stops
Minister Nguyen Van Thang has instructed that, in the second phase of the North-South high-speed projects, there should be no unfinished roads without rest stops. These rest stops will be places to promote the “delicious and unique products” of each region to tourists traveling from North to South.
New developments regarding the lack of rest stops on the North-South Highway
According to the representative of the Vietnam Highway Department, following the agency’s release of the project list and invitation to investors to construct 8 pairs of rest stops, there have been 32 interested investors, of which 30 have met the criteria. If everything goes smoothly, the investor selection will be finalized in June and implementation will begin.
Struggling to Establish Highway Standards
Despite the fact that nearly 1,900km of highways have been put into operation across the country, many routes still lack rest stops, emergency lanes, and dividers, posing significant risks to road safety. Moreover, the current highway standards in Vietnam have yet to be issued.
