The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has summited a plan to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) on the construction of an expressway linking the two northern mountainous provinces of Bac Kan and Cao Bang.
The project will help connect Bac Kan with important border gates between Vietnam and China in Cao Bang and with the Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway to create an economic development corridor linking Bac Kan with northern localities, thus helping support socio-economic development and national defense and security towards comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China, according to the MoT.
Construction of the expressway will also help complete transport infrastructure under the road network planning approved by the government and effectively exploit the Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi - Bac Kan Expressway and Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway while promoting socio-economic development in localities.
Under road network planning in the 2021-2030 period and vision towards 2050, the Bac Kan - Cao Bang Expressway will be 90 km long and have four lanes.
In 2021, Bac Kan and Cao Bang provinces proposed the Prime Minister support the construction of the expressway with total investment of about VND14.1 trillion ($590 million).
The two provinces have difficult terrain that slows economic development, while limited traffic and transport infrastructure has weakened their ability to attract investment.
Meanwhile, National Highway No. 3, which connects the two, has been upgraded in recent years but technical standards remain low, creating difficulties for the passage of large vehicles, especially tractors. There are frequent accidents and traffic jams as a result.
The MoT asked Bac Kan to consider its financial capacity and MPI to review and consider support from central budget to invest in building the expressway before 2025.
Google translate