VND29,000 billion expressway extends the dream of developing border areas
Lang Son - The Lang Son - Thai Nguyen expressway is expected to become a lever for economic development for the Northern "fence" area.
In a recent document sent to the Ministry of Construction, the People's Committee of Lang Son province proposed adding the Lang Son - Thai Nguyen expressway to the Road Network Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.
The route starts at the intersection with the Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway in Lang Son, and ends at the Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan road. The route passes through Van Lang, Van Quan, Binh Gia, Bac Son districts (Lang Son) and Vo Nhai, Phu Luong (Thai Nguyen).
According to the proposal, the expressway has a scale of 4 lanes, a design speed of 100km/h (the section through the mountains is reduced to 80km/h), and a roadbed width of 22 to 24.7m.
The total estimated investment is about VND29,000 billion, of which the cost through Lang Son is VND18,000 billion, Thai Nguyen is VND11,000 billion. The expected implementation period is 20262030.
This expressway is located on the Lang Son - Thai Nguyen - Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang connection axis with a total length of 355km, of which the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang section (165km) has been included in the planning.
According to the People's Committee of Lang Son province, the expressway, once completed, will contribute to the formation of a vital traffic axis connecting Huu Nghi international border gate with major industrial centers in Thai Nguyen and the Northwest region.
The route also creates momentum for the development of industrial parks, logistics centers and urban areas along the new traffic corridor.
In late March, according to the reporter's records, National Highway 1B is currently the only route connecting Lang Son with Thai Nguyen, however, many sections have seriously degraded and are often overloaded.
Container trucks and heavy trucks must follow each other through narrow corners, especially the Vo Nhai - Binh Gia - Van Quan section.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Long, a driver who regularly transport goods on the route, said: "On the route, there is Tam Canh Pass - bordering Binh Gia and Bac Son districts - with many continuous hand-carried curves, limited visibility, prone to accidents, especially during the rainy season or at night. For some shipments, the cost of transportation by route 1B increases by 20%".
Some sections such as Po Dua slope are currently degraded, with many potholes, causing danger when braking suddenly.
"Not only are these sections a black spot for accidents, they also prolong the transportation time of goods, greatly affecting agricultural products in mountainous areas," Mr. Long added.
Mr. Hoang Van Thuan - Chairman of the People's Committee of Van Quan district (Lang Son) - shared: "The expressway is expected to pass through about 8 km of the district, through the communes of Diem He, Lien Hoi, Tran Ninh and Hoa Binh. This is an opportunity for the district to expand development space, facilitate trade and promote agricultural product consumption".
The leader of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee also affirmed that the expressway will shorten the distance from Thai Nguyen to Huu Nghi international border gate by about 30km and 15km from Bac Son to Lang Son city.
This not only helps reduce logistics costs, but also increases competitiveness for goods in border areas, contributing to the formation of a new economic corridor from border gates to domestic industrial centers.
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