The Ministry of Transport is preparing procedures for construction of more expressways in central Vietnam, including one connecting the coastal cities of Nha Trang and Phan Thiet.

Consulting firms have been picked for Nha Trang-Phan Thiet expressway. The ministry said some Japanese firms have expressed interest in developing the 235-kilometer expressway.

According to the ministry, Nha Trang-Phan Thiet expressway will require some VND77 trillion (over US$3.46 billion) and have six lanes, with four lanes to be developed in phase one. As scheduled, vehicles will be allowed to move at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

After Dau Giay-Phan Thiet expressway was split into two projects, the ministry assigned Project Management Unit 1 to formulate investment plans.

The ministry said Danang-Quang Ngai expressway is 42% complete and that the road would be opened to traffic next year.

Regarding a total of VND14.26 trillion saved from the expansion of National Highway 1A’s section from Thanh Hoa to Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh Road’s section in the Central Highlands region, the ministry said the amount will be spent on new transport projects and repair of deteriorating bridges along national highways. 

The ministry has reviewed and worked out measures to accelerate the implementation of projects funded by the unused investment funds.

In particular, VND1.65 trillion will go to some urgent components of 13 out of 14 weakened bridges previously planned to be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), resettlement projects, four bridges in Binh Thuan Province earlier planned to be financed by loans of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Of the remaining amount of VND12.61 trillion, VND618 billion will be allocated to two build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects, VND2.72 trillion to projects currently under construction and VND9.27 trillion to 17 new projects.

The upgrades of the National Highway 1A and Ho Chi Minh Road sections were finished 12-18 months ahead of schedule. When these projects were under construction, the ministry reviewed and adjusted designs of components, so a considerable investment amount was saved.

The BOT projects cost a total of VND116.6 trillion, including nearly VND64.3 trillion from the State budget and proceeds from government bond sales. The remainder came from enterprises.