The ‘Useless’ Road: A Story of Misdirected Investment in Quang Ngai, Vietnam
The Huyen Doi – Hoc Cam route, located south of Chau O town in Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province, was expected to be a transformative project. With an initial approved investment of 45 billion VND (over $2 million) in October 2019, later reduced to over 34 billion VND (nearly $1.5 million), this road was meant to boost the local economy and improve residents’ lives.
For years, the road has served as a drying area for crops like rice, beans, and chili peppers. Photo: Nguyen Ngoc
With a length of 507 meters, a design speed of 50 km/h, and a spacious two-lane road, complete with sidewalks, medians, greenery, lighting, and drainage systems, the road seemed promising. The project, managed by the Binh Son District Construction Investment Project Management Board and fully funded by the district’s budget, aimed to expand and modernize the town’s infrastructure, develop the land along the route, and ultimately boost socio-economic development.
However, the road abruptly ends in the middle of rice fields, disconnected from any residential areas. While there were more pressing infrastructure needs in the district, such as schools and health centers, the decision to invest tens of billions of VND in this road left many locals frustrated and puzzled.
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According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, a resident of Binh Long commune in Binh Son district, there were expectations that the road would attract investors to develop a new residential area. Unfortunately, years passed without any connecting projects, leaving the road underutilized and isolated, with one end meeting National Highway 1A and the other ending abruptly in a rice field.
Contrary to expectations of a boost in urban development, the reality is quite the opposite. Since its completion, the road has become a place for drying crops and parking vehicles.
Due to its ‘useless’ nature, the road only sees traffic from farmers going to and from their fields. Taking advantage of the lack of traffic, many people use the road to dry their crops, including rice and chili peppers. Some long-distance drivers also use the area as a resting spot, parking their vehicles along the road, Ms. Lan added.
Representatives from the project’s management board explained that the road was built to efficiently utilize land resources and contribute to local economic development. While the intention was to create infrastructure that would attract investors, the lack of approved related planning at the time of the road’s completion hindered immediate investment attraction.
Recently, the provincial authorities approved land use and 1/500 planning for the area. The local government is now working with relevant units to invite enterprises to implement the Tay Nam Chau O Town project, which will connect to and optimize the utilization of the Huyen Doi – Hoc Cam route.
“At the beginning of 2025, several enterprises surveyed the area. The relevant agencies are finalizing procedures to organize a bidding process to select investors as soon as possible. Once the Tay Nam Chau O Town project is realized, the Huyen Doi – Hoc Cam road will finally achieve its intended purpose,” the management board representative added.
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