(VNF) - The Ho Chi Minh city – Dau Giay section under the North - South Expressway Construction project opened to traffic on February 8th.

The expressway section has been co-financed by the Government of Japan which had extended an ODA loan of JPY60,136 million and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The 55-km expressway (with 4 lanes, the design speed of 120 km/h) from An Phu Intersection in Ho Chi Minh city to Dau Giay Intersection in Dong Nai province, in which the Japanese ODA loan covered the first 23.9-km, is expected to cut short the distance from HCMC to Vung Tau from 120 km to 95 km and reduce the travel time from two hour and thirty minutes to only one hour and twenty minutes.

It meets the growing demand for transportation via highway 1 and highway 51 in the direction of Vung Tau, improving the efficiency of the distribution of goods and easing traffic congestion, as well as contributing to the economic growth and international competitiveness of Ho Chi Minh city and the Southern Vietnam.

According to Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC), the lowest charge is 2,000 VND/km for the vehicles under 12 seats, trucks under 2 tones; 40,000 VND/turn for buses; 60,000 VND/turn for the vehicles of from 12 to 30 seats and trucks of from 2 to 4 tones; and 80,000 VND/turn for the vehicles of over 31 seats and the trucks of from 4 -10 tones.

Under the project, the Intelligent Transportation System will be installed to apply Japanese advanced technology in traffic management and toll collection and enable various users to enjoy a safer and “smarter” use of expressway network.

The project has been recognized as an important cooperation project between Japan and Vietnam, which contributes to strengthen Japan-Vietnam strategic partnership./.

Complied by VNF