Revolutionizing Transportation Infrastructure: A Comprehensive Upgrade

As planned, the expansion project of the connecting road to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway, from the An Phu intersection to the Ring Road 2, is set to commence in October 2025, in celebration of the 1st Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term.

Breaking the Bottleneck

The An Phu intersection has long been plagued by traffic congestion. At this critical transportation hub, long lines of vehicles inch forward slowly. Many drivers, exhausted, struggle to find an escape route.

Mr. Pham Quang Huu shares that every Saturday, he travels from An Khanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, to his hometown in Dong Nai. The An Phu intersection and the connecting segment to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway are constant sources of frustration for him.

“Just escaping the An Phu intersection leads to another ‘maze’ at the Long Thanh Bridge. Residents of the city eagerly await the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway, along with the synchronization of the connecting road and the An Phu intersection, to put an end to the traffic jams,” Mr. Huu expressed.

The project to expand the connecting road to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay Expressway, from the An Phu intersection to the Ring Road 2, spans 3.2 km with a total investment of over 915 billion VND. This segment will be widened from 4 to 8 lanes, with a road width of 36 meters. The Muong Kenh Bridge and the Do Xuan Hop Overpass will also be upgraded and expanded to 37 meters.

Upon completion in 2027, this project is expected not only to alleviate traffic congestion at the eastern gateway of Ho Chi Minh City but also to enhance regional connectivity. It will facilitate traffic flow to the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, reducing traffic pressure by 50,000 – 55,000 vehicles per day, three times the initial design capacity. The Long Thanh Bridge, a long-standing bottleneck, will see the construction of a new 5-lane bridge parallel to the existing one.

Enhancing Urban Beauty

Beyond focusing on transportation infrastructure, Ho Chi Minh City is also vigorously revitalizing its urban landscape.

On the morning of October 10th, in An Khanh Ward, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Da Do Canal dredging project was marked by the resounding hum of excavators. Iron buckets continuously lifted heavy loads of sludge mixed with waste and decaying branches, much to the delight of onlookers. They are hopeful for a day when their neighborhood becomes less stifling, cleaner, and fresher.

The Da Do Canal dredging project includes multiple components: dredging 1.7 km of the canal, constructing 1.5 km of embankments on both sides, installing a drainage system, pedestrian paths, sidewalks, greenery, and a synchronized lighting system.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Anh Dung, Deputy Director of the Project Management Board, with a total investment of over 86.7 billion VND and an expected completion date of 2026, the project will address flooding during the rainy season, improve environmental hygiene, enhance urban aesthetics, and complete the eastern part of the city’s drainage system.

On the same day, October 10th, the Thu Thiem New Urban Area was bustling with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Palace. On the expansive site, numerous groups of workers erected fences and leveled the ground, while residents eagerly watched the cranes in action.

Mr. Huynh Minh Hung, Deputy Director of the Project Management Board for Civil and Industrial Construction Works, stated that the project has a floor area of over 38,000 m² and a budget of 1,124 billion VND, with an expected completion date before December 31, 2028. This will be one of the city’s exemplary cultural and educational projects, nurturing young talents and global citizens.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong emphasized that the Children’s Palace symbolizes the city’s affection, trust, and responsibility toward future generations.

This project also reflects the commitment to building Ho Chi Minh City as both economically strong and culturally rich, humane, and friendly, while aiming to transform the city into a Southeast Asian metropolis, vibrant in culture, arts, sports, and entertainment.

Impressive Progress

October 10th also marked the official opening of the Cu Chi Regional General Hospital (Tan An Hoi Commune, Ho Chi Minh City).

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Director of Cu Chi Regional General Hospital, stated that the facility is built on a site of over 60,000 m². Annually, the hospital will serve more than 600,000 patients. With a total investment of over 1,850 billion VND and designed to international standards, featuring a spacious landscape and a helipad, the project signifies a significant development in healthcare at the northwestern gateway of Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition to these civic projects, Ho Chi Minh City has also initiated numerous other meaningful works. Notably, these include the Phu Tho Racecourse Park, Tan Chanh Hiep Park, the City Women’s Cultural House – Facility 1, and the restoration and embellishment of Binh Tho Communal House and Linh Tay Communal House.

To accelerate the progress of these key projects, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong has issued a document urging expedited implementation.

The responsible units and project managers are tasked with closely monitoring quality, making up for delays caused by material shortages and weather conditions, and intensifying construction efforts to ensure the key projects are completed as scheduled. This is considered an urgent priority to enhance infrastructure, facilitate socio-economic development, and improve urban service quality.

Vice Chairman Bui Xuan Cuong emphasized that management agencies must implement synchronized measures to ensure all construction components are executed on schedule, meet quality standards, and adhere to the plan. This is a crucial step, demonstrating the city’s determination to complete key infrastructure systems, meet the needs of modern urban development, and lay a solid foundation for future inter-regional connectivity projects.

Racing to the Finish Line

As directed by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee leadership, at the An Phu intersection, the N2 bridge branch (XL11) must be completed before December 31, 2025, while the HC1-02 underpass (XL6) is expected to be finished by January 15, 2026.

For the Ring Road 2, the construction phases are clearly divided: Section 1 must commence before November 15, 2025, Section 2 before October 30, 2025, and Section 3 will restart on October 30, 2025.

Several other key projects are also being expedited by the city, including the Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len Environmental Improvement Project, the Ho Chi Minh City – Thu Dau Mot – Chon Thanh Expressway, the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway (Phase 1), the Phuoc An Bridge, DT991B Road, and the DT994 Coastal Road (Vung Tau – Binh Thuan).