Lâm Đồng Leaders Issue Critical Directive on Vietnam’s Most Scenic Forest Highway, Funded by Son Hai Group

On the morning of January 15th, Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Hong Hai, held a meeting with investors to review the progress and deployment plan for the Tan Phu – Bao Loc Expressway project.

According to the meeting’s report, the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract for the Tan Phu – Bao Loc Expressway under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model was signed between the parties: Project Management Unit No. 1 of Lam Dong Province (contracting authority), Son Hai Group Co., Ltd. (investor), and Tan Phu – Bao Loc Expressway Investment Co., Ltd. (project enterprise).

To meet the project timeline, the project enterprise is expediting organizational structure completion and personnel mobilization to ensure all necessary conditions are met. To date, the enterprise has selected contractors for detailed technical design following the basic design, aligning with the project’s schedule. Currently, the consulting unit is conducting surveys, with approximately 4% of the survey work and 2% of the detailed technical design completed.

Additionally, the investor, project enterprise, and detailed technical design consultant are surveying locations for on-site offices, material quarries, waste disposal sites, station placements, material staging areas, and precast beam yards.

The project enterprise is also in the process of selecting contractors for bomb and explosive clearance. Construction is expected to commence in February 2026 and conclude in December 2027, following the completion of necessary preparations.

Based on feedback from departments and agencies, the Vice Chairman directed Project Management Unit No. 1 and the Department of Construction to promptly issue guidelines for investors to complete necessary procedures, accelerating project progress. Simultaneously, design work must align with local conditions and requirements.

The provincial leadership also instructed the Land Development Fund Center to expedite compensation payments to households affected by land clearance. Urgent collaboration with local authorities is required to review and validate the legal status of pending files. A comprehensive report on land clearance funding for the entire route should be submitted to Project Management Unit No. 1 and the Department of Construction.

The Vice Chairman urged investors to proactively initiate related tasks upon receiving guidelines from departments and agencies. They should also assess local mineral resources to develop a sustainable material supply plan for construction.

Vice Chairman Nguyen Hong Hai called on relevant departments and agencies to uphold their responsibilities, enhance coordination, and support investors in resolving challenges. This will ensure timely construction and project commissioning.

The Tan Phu (Dong Nai Province) – Bao Loc (Lam Dong Province) Expressway project was approved by the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee in June 2025.

On December 19, 2025, the groundbreaking ceremony for the expressway was held to commemorate the 14th National Party Congress.

Classified as a Group A project, the expressway is designed to Class I road standards with a design speed of 80 km/h, implemented through a PPP model. The total length is approximately 66 km, with 12 km in Dong Nai Province and nearly 54 km in Lam Dong Province.

In the initial phase, the road will have a 17-meter-wide base, accommodating four vehicle lanes with intermittent emergency stopping lanes. In deeper excavations, elevated sections, interchanges, and certain bridges, the cross-section will be expanded to 22 meters to ensure technical and safety requirements.

In the final phase, the expressway will be widened to 22 meters, adding two continuous emergency stopping lanes to meet long-term traffic demands.

Son Hai Group, the winning bidder, is expected to complete construction within 25 months and operate the toll collection for 23 years and 9 months. The project is slated for completion by December 31, 2027.

The total investment for the phased project exceeds VND 18,000 billion, with VND 6,500 billion (36%) from the state budget and approximately VND 11,500 billion (64%) from the investor. The toll collection and payback period is projected at 23 years and 9 months.

Upon completion and integration with the Bao Loc – Lien Khuong Expressway, the Tan Phu – Bao Loc route will reduce travel time from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat from over 6 hours to approximately 3 hours. This will significantly alleviate traffic on National Highway 20 and is anticipated to become Vietnam’s most scenic “forest-crossing” expressway.