Proposed temporary opening of 18km Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway hits connectivity, tolling hurdles

LONG THANH, Vietnam — Project Management Unit 85 has proposed the temporary opening of an 18.2-kilometer section of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway by Feb. 8.

The requested segment, located in Long Thanh District, is part of the development's Component Project 2. The stretch currently sits between sections of Component Project 1 that remain unfinished.

If approved, the proposal would allow vehicles to travel between Vung Tau and directions toward Ho Chi Minh City and Dau Giay via ramps at the Long Thanh interchange.

However, officials noted several significant obstacles to the plan. While the expressway connects to the T1 and T2 access roads for Long Thanh International Airport, there is currently no schedule to open those two specific routes.

The most critical issue involves a lack of infrastructure at the junction with the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway. Because toll collection systems have not yet been constructed at the interchange, authorities cannot charge vehicles moving between the two highways.

Project Management Unit 85 has requested that the Ministry of Construction provide support and direct the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) to coordinate a resolution to these issues.

The proposal to temporarily open an 18-kilometer segment of the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway has exposed a chronic systemic failure in Vietnam’s infrastructure management: the lack of institutional synchronization. While construction on "Component 2" is technically complete, the segment remains effectively stranded, as the essential connecting infrastructure—specifically Component 1, the T2 access road, and critical tolling systems—remains unfinished. This disconnect highlights a significant breakdown in coordination between project owners and regulatory stakeholders.

The drive to open the road appears motivated by political pressure to meet reporting milestones ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. However, commissioning a high-speed artery without a functional tolling framework is a precarious, ad hoc solution. Such a move risks significant revenue leakage for the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC)—the operator of the connecting Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay route—and creates an operational nightmare for traffic management. This situation serves as a prime case study of the "build-as-you-go" mentality that continues to plague Vietnamese infrastructure, prioritizing immediate optics over holistic master planning.

The fact that Project Management Unit 85 (PMU 85) was forced to petition the Ministry of Construction to bridge the coordination gap underscores a deep fragmentation of responsibility. In a project of national significance, such inter-agency alignment should be an automated procedural standard rather than an emergency escalation. The Ministry’s final ruling on this proposal will serve as a bellwether for Hanoi’s broader policy direction: whether the administration will continue to prioritize nominal completion deadlines or pivot toward ensuring long-term operational feasibility and fiscal accountability.

The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway is drawing significant interest from the Vietnamese-American community, as it serves as a vital artery connecting Saigon to the coastal retreat of Vung Tau—a favorite destination for Viet Kieu visiting home. Once completed, the project will drastically reduce travel times and bolster tourism. It is also expected to provide a substantial lift to property values in the region, a major plus for the many diaspora investors who hold real estate in the area.