The Ultimate Guide to Unlocking Long Thanh Airport’s Connectivity Challenges

The timely investment and upgrade of the roads connecting the airport is vital to the economic development of Dong Nai province and the region’s connectivity. The current state of these roads can hinder progress and cause significant congestion issues.

Expanding the Highway

Mr. Le Van Phong, a frequent driver on the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway, shared his concerns about the frequent traffic jams on weekends, holidays, and during the Tet festival. The situation is exacerbated by sudden surges in traffic volume, and even a single broken-down or accident-involved vehicle can cause kilometers-long tailbacks. During recent holidays, when there were too many vehicles on the highway or accidents occurred, the traffic police had to close off access to the highway at the An Phu intersection in Thu Duc City to regulate the flow of vehicles.

“The highway has a narrow road surface, and there are too many vehicles. Sometimes, a slow-moving cargo truck on the left lane is enough to force the long line of vehicles behind it to slow down as well, wasting a lot of time. With the situation as it is now, what will happen when the Long Thanh airport becomes operational and there is even more traffic between Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai?” Mr. Phong worriedly asked. He added that he and many other drivers eagerly anticipate the expansion of this highway to meet the growing travel demands of the people.

Mr. Bui Van Quan, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Cargo Transport Association, shared his opinion that a four-lane highway with two emergency lanes is insufficient to meet the current traffic demands. “Currently, old vehicles, overloaded cargo trucks, and private cars share the same lane, which is a problem. These slower-moving vehicles prevent others from maintaining a high speed. Therefore, we need to add more lanes to the highway and strictly handle violations of speed limits,” Mr. Quan suggested.

The leadership of the Vietnam Airports Corporation (ACV, the investor of the Long Thanh airport project) has proposed accelerating the construction of two transport routes, T1 and T2, to ensure synchronous connectivity when the Long Thanh airport becomes operational. The construction of the T1 route is expected to be completed by November 2025, while the T2 route is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025. However, to meet the transport needs of the first phase of the Long Thanh airport, especially the connection with Ho Chi Minh City, the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway should be prioritized.

Mr. Vo Van Phi, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province, emphasized the need for multiple connecting routes, with the immediate priority being the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh highway due to its current overloaded state. He estimated that around 80% of passengers would be traveling between Ho Chi Minh City and the Long Thanh airport.

According to the Institute for Transport Strategy and Development, to ensure the passenger transport needs of the Long Thanh airport from 2026 onwards, priority should be given to investing in the expansion of routes and sections as planned, especially the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway. Additionally, the construction of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau highway should be on schedule.

Challenges and Obstacles

Facing frequent traffic jams on the section of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway that connects to the city’s eastern gateway, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council has resolved to invest in expanding the highway section from the An Phu intersection to Ring Road 2 in Thu Duc City. The project will have a total of eight lanes, with a length of 3.2 km. The road section will be 36 meters wide, with an expansion of 4.75 meters on each side.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, the project has a total investment of VND 938.9 billion and will be funded by the city’s budget. This section of the road, from the An Phu intersection to Ring Road 2, is part of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway and plays a crucial role in connecting the North-South expressway with Ho Chi Minh City.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport emphasized that expanding the road section from the An Phu intersection to Ring Road 2 would be in line with the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh highway (a project under the investment of VEC) to meet the transport needs of the region. It will also enhance the efficiency of other projects in the eastern part of the city, such as the An Phu intersection, the expansion of Do Xuan Hop Street, and the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 2.

Regarding the progress of this project, Mr. Luong Minh Phuc, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Authority, shared that the investment policy has been submitted. It is expected that in the first quarter of 2025, the pre-feasibility study report will be completed and submitted for appraisal and approval. In the second quarter of 2025, the design drawings and cost estimates will be prepared and submitted for approval. In the third quarter of 2025, the plan for selecting the project’s contractor will be developed. “We aim to commence construction in 2025 and complete the project by the fourth quarter of 2026,” Mr. Phuc informed.

Concerning the An Phu intersection project, the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Authority is striving to complete the first tunnel branch in the first quarter of 2025. All overpasses, the second tunnel branch, and other components of the An Phu intersection are expected to be finished within 2025 to improve traffic flow at the city’s eastern gateway and alleviate congestion in the area.

Regarding the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh highway, VEC has been assigned to expand the section from Ring Road 2 to Ring Road 3 to eight lanes. The section from Ring Road 3 to the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway will be expanded to ten lanes, and a new span will be added to the Long Thanh Bridge, increasing its capacity to ten lanes. The total investment for these expansion projects is nearly VND 15,000 billion. In mid-2023, VEC signed a framework agreement with Vietcombank for credit arrangement for the project. If all goes well, the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, helping to reduce traffic pressure on the route when the Long Thanh airport becomes operational.

While some projects are showing positive signs of progress, others in Dong Nai province are facing delays due to land clearance and capital arrangement issues. The first phase of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway project is underway but is being delayed due to land clearance issues in the section passing through Dong Nai province. Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project, which passes through Dong Nai, is facing challenges in land clearance and a lack of fill material. For the three intra-provincial routes in Dong Nai, there are also capital constraints due to difficulties in provincial land auctions. The People’s Committee of Dong Nai province has proposed to the National Assembly for support in implementing these projects.