$1.5 bln investment planned for HCMC-Vung Tau coastal connection

A projected coastal route spanning approximately 45.5 km is set to link Ho Chi Minh City with its neighboring provinces of Tien Giang, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

The route will cross the sea at Ho Chi Minh City's Can Gio district and connect to the Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport system in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, establishing a vital inter-regional corridor in the southern region.

The project,  part of draft adjustments to the general Master Plan of the southern city until 2040, with a vision to 2060, includes two phases.

Phase 1 will involve construction of approximately 34.5 km section of the projected route, with a total investment capital of over VND31.5 trillion ($1.23 billion); and in phase 2, the remaining 11 km, that connects with Dong Nai,  will be constructed, with a total investment capital of around VND6.4 trillion ($250 milion).

The route will be expanded from six to eight lanes depending on the section, and parallel roads will be built on both sides to reduce traffic congestion in the Southeast region.

A key element in the plan to implement this route is to connect Ho Chi Minh City with Ba Ria - Vung Tau via the Can Gio sea bridge.

The projected sea bridge will shorten the distance between the two localities, while also creating a strong impetus for the development of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, a locality that identifies the sea as its focus, leveraging its potential, exploiting the advantages of its sea islands, mountainous landscapes, and diverse biological resources... to develop tourism, promote the marine economy, tourism, and seaports.