The Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway is being accelerated to complete its remaining construction items so that the entire route can be fully operational in September 2026.

As a direct transportation link between Dong Nai City and Ho Chi Minh City, the full operation of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, instead of the current temporary operation, will help improve connectivity and promote the socio-economic development of both localities as well as the entire Southeast region.

The entire main route of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway has been temporarily opened to traffic since May 18, 2026.

 

Shortening Travel Time

At the end of June 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Cuong (from Trang Bom Ward), a ride-service driver, experienced traveling the full length of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway for the first time. From the starting point at the interchange on Vo Nguyen Giap Road, Phuoc Tan Ward (Dong Nai City), to Vung Tau Beach (Ho Chi Minh City), the journey took him nearly 1.5 hours.

"Compared to traveling on National Highway 51 in the past, using the expressway cuts the travel time for this route by half," Mr. Cuong said.

According to Mr. Cuong, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway currently only allows passenger cars with fewer than nine seats, making traffic much smoother. This is completely different from the frequent traffic congestion on National Highway 51 along the same route.

Construction of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway began in mid-2023. After nearly three years of construction, on May 18, 2026, the entire main route was opened for temporary operation. This has helped ease traffic pressure on National Highway 51, which had long been overloaded. However, since the expressway is still under temporary operation, it has not yet reached its full effectiveness.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van (a resident of Tran Bien Ward) said that the expressway currently only permits passenger cars with fewer than nine seats, so it has not fully met the travel needs of local residents. In addition, because it is still under temporary operation, not all interchanges have been opened, causing inconvenience when entering and exiting the expressway. In Dong Nai City, vehicles can currently only access the expressway via the interchange with Vo Nguyen Giap Road and the Long Thanh interchange.

Accelerating Completion of the Final Items

Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway is 16 km long, beginning at Km0+000 where it connects with Vo Nguyen Giap Road and ending at Km16+000 in Long Thanh Ward. This component project is managed by the Dong Nai City Construction Investment Project Management Board.

After the temporary opening of the main route on May 18, 2026, contractors have continued completing the remaining works, including access roads to the overpasses on Ham Nghi and Phung Hung roads, drainage canals along frontage roads, drainage channels between the main route and frontage roads, concrete water barriers, slope drainage channels, grass planting on embankment slopes, and sidewalk paving.

According to the Dong Nai City Construction Investment Project Management Board, the access roads to the Ham Nghi and Phung Hung overpasses have basically completed road construction, while contractors are currently constructing bridge railings. Meanwhile, construction progress for the drainage system, concrete water barriers, slope drainage channels, grass planting, and sidewalk paving has exceeded 60% of the contract value. Overall, Component Project 1 has reached nearly 95% of the total contracted construction volume.

The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway is nearly 54 km long and consists of three component projects: Component Project 1 (16 km), Component Project 2 (18.2 km), and Component Project 3 (19.5 km). Component Projects 1 and 2 are located in Dong Nai City, while Component Project 3 is implemented in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Mr. Nguyen Linh, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai City Construction Investment Project Management Board, with the current progress, the project is expected to be completed and fully opened for synchronized operation in September 2026.

Regarding Component Project 2 in Dong Nai City, representatives of Project Management Unit 85 under the Ministry of Construction stated that contractors are accelerating the remaining finishing works with the goal of completing them in September.

According to Mr. Ho Van Ha, Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People's Committee, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway is a key transport corridor connecting Dong Nai City with Ho Chi Minh City while sharing traffic volume with National Highway 51. Therefore, completing construction and putting the entire route into synchronized operation as soon as possible, instead of the current temporary operation, will maximize the project's investment efficiency and better meet the travel and trade needs of residents.

Phạm Tùng

Source: Báo Đồng Nai