Upgrading Thai Nguyen BOT route

A section of road on the Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi route

According to the National Road Network Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan - Cao Bang Expressway (CT.07) will have a scale of 4 - 6 lanes. Currently, the Hanoi - Thai Nguyen (62 km) and Cho Moi - Bac Kan (28.8 km) sections have been invested with a scale of 4 lanes. However, the Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi section still has only 2 lanes, causing a lack of synchronization and affecting the efficiency of the entire route.

In fact, expanding to 4 lanes will help improve traffic capacity, reduce congestion, reduce the risk of traffic accidents and facilitate freight transport, especially connecting with other highways in the region.

In order to ensure the progress of implementation, the People's Committee of Bac Kan province has proposed that the Government consider supplementing the capital plan from the 2024 central budget revenue increase or government bond capital to implement the project. At the same time, the province also proposed that the Ministry of Construction be the investor to implement the project in accordance with the approved planning.

Using budget capital is a feasible solution, especially in the context of many current BOT transport projects facing difficulties in toll revenue. According to the Ministry of Transport, many BOT projects, including the Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi route, are facing difficulties due to low toll revenue while operating and maintenance costs are high. Therefore, if the BOT model is maintained without budget support, the project will have difficulty expanding on schedule.

Upgrading the route to 4 lanes will help shorten the travel time between Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan, creating conditions for industrial, tourism and trade development for the provinces in the region. In particular, the completed expressway will contribute to connecting the Cao Bang - Bac Kan - Thai Nguyen - Hanoi economic corridor with the Red River Delta and border gates, promoting trade with China.

Upgrading the Thai Nguyen - Cho Moi BOT route to a 4-lane expressway is not only an urgent traffic requirement but also an important driving force for socio-economic development in the midland and mountainous areas of the North. Mobilizing appropriate capital sources and implementing the project on schedule will help solve the problem of traffic infrastructure, promote regional connectivity and enhance the competitiveness of the region./.

Source: https://backan.gov.vn/Pages/nang-cap-tuyen-duong-bot-thai-nguyen--cho-moi-len--dec4.aspx