Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway is about to end the scene of dead-end expressways

As planned, on April 20, the People's Committee of Lang Son province will join the investor in organizing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway PPP project, gradually ending the "dead end" expressway scene of the Bac Giang - Lang Son route.

Perspective of Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway.

After nearly 5 years of operation, Bac Giang - Lang Son is known as the most unique route in Vietnam when it is nicknamed "dead-end highway". Although the project is called Bac Giang - Lang Son highway, in fact, the route has only been invested in construction from Bac Giang city to Chi Lang district (Lang Son).

Hanoi - Huu Nghi border gate expressway opened

Specifically, because it is still about 30 km from Lang Son City, after traveling more than 64 km on the Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway, vehicles must turn onto National Highway 1 to move to the city and border gates. The interrupted route has reduced the investment efficiency of the Bac Giang - Lang Son route because it is difficult to attract vehicles.

However, this “dead-end highway” scene will soon end because the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang Border Gate Expressway BOT Project is about to start construction in the next few days. After the project is completed, the entire expressway connecting Hanoi to Lang Son City to Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh, and Coc Nam border gates will be open.

In particular, together with the Dong Dang - Tra Linh PPP Project (under construction and expected to be completed in 2026), the investment in the construction of the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway project will synchronously connect the entire route from Hanoi to Cao Bang.

Mr. Luong Ngoc Quynh - Vice Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee said that according to the planning, Huu Nghi - Chi Lang is the first section of the North - South expressway in the East but is the last section to be built.

“When the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway is completed, it will synchronously connect Lang Son with Bac Giang, Hanoi, and connect the three border gates of Tan Thanh, Coc Nam, and Huu Nghi. Investing in this project will help Lang Son province develop its socio-economy, especially the circulation of goods and serving import and export,” said Mr. Luong Ngoc Quynh.

Currently, Lang Son is the locality with the largest road border gates connecting with China in the country. According to estimates, on average, there are about 1,000 vehicles carrying import and export goods through the border gates in Lang Son province every day. The Huu Nghi - Chi Lang Expressway put into operation helps vehicles shorten the travel distance, reduce travel time, thereby reducing costs for transportation businesses.

Breakthrough with PPP++ model

Previously, after a long period of organizing the selection of investors in the form of bidding, on April 11, 2024, the People's Committee of Lang Son province issued a decision approving the results of the selection of investors to implement the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway BOT project in the form of BOT. The winning investor is the consortium of Deo Ca Construction Joint Stock Company - Deo Ca Group Joint Stock Company - Construction Joint Stock Company 568 - Lizen Joint Stock Company.

Notably, in the list of investors selected to implement the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway BOT project, there continues to be the appearance of Deo Ca investor, who successfully participated in the "rescue" of the Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway.

In just over 2 years with the participation of the new investor, all items of the Bac Giang - Lang Son BOT Project have been completed, especially the Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway component, which was completed 3 months ahead of schedule.

In addition to the Bac Giang - Lang Son Expressway BOT Project, Deo Ca also has experience in successfully rescuing another equally difficult and complicated project, Trung Luong - My Thuan. In particular, in the recent period, this enterprise has also creatively applied breakthrough solutions in capital mobilization to implement PPP infrastructure projects in two large-scale expressway projects, Cam Lam - Vinh Hao with the PPP+ model and Dong Dang - Tra Linh with the improved model, PPP ++.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh - General Director of Deo Ca Group said that from the successful implementation experience at Cam Lam - Vinh Hao and Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressways, Deo Ca investor will continue to apply the PPP++ model at the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang expressway border gate BOT project.

To join forces with other businesses to participate in the project, Deo Ca Group has proposed 3 levels with different rights and obligations of investors at each level, including: "steadfast" investors (participating right from the project investment preparation stage), "bridge" investors, and "potential" investors (participating from the project implementation stage).

"This is a model to diversify capital mobilization sources, optimize management organization, and link contractor responsibility to the entire project implementation process, with the goal of contributing to improving project efficiency," informed Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh.

The Huu Nghi - Chi Lang border gate expressway is about 43km long and designed with 6 lanes for motor vehicles and a roadbed width of 32.25m; the route connecting Tan Thanh border gate and Coc Nam border gate is about 17km long and designed with 4 lanes for motor vehicles and a roadbed width of 22m. In the phased phase, the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang section will be invested in building a route with 4 lanes and a roadbed width of 17m; the section connecting Tan Thanh - Coc Nam border gate will be invested in building a route with 2 lanes and a roadbed width of 14.5m.