The 105.5 km long Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway is one the most modern controlled-access highways in northern Vietnam. The six-lane highway begins at Belt Road 3, Hanoi, and passes through Hung Yen and Hai Duong in northern Vietnam, to end at the country’s largest seaport – Dinh Vu port in Hai Phong. Further, the expressway connects the existing highways at six key locations, and hence plays a strategic role in catalysing economic and social development in Vietnam.
With time, the three major cities in Northern Vietnam – Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh – have become a strong economic triangle and have been responsible for shaping the socio-economic progress of the region. Moreover, the industrial corridor along the region, specifically Highway-5, has also driven economic progress, being the primary axis road connecting Hanoi and Haiphong and carrying the bulk of goods and passengers between the two cities. Therefore, the burgeoning development in the region eventually resulted in a mismatch in demand and supply, leading to the demand for a larger transport network to leverage the scope of development further. The Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway project was then included as part of the development strategy of Vietnam’s communications and transport sector to expedite and bolster the level of development in the northern and neighbouring provinces.
Background and implementation
Regarding the implementation of the expressway, the Vietnamese government had initially approved the pre-feasibility study report that included the route plan and investment scale of the motorway on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. The Vietnam Development Bank was declared the investor of the project while the China Road and Bridge Corporation was responsible for managing the project. A joint venture company – Vietnam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment Joint Stock Company (VIDIFI), between Vinaconex, Vietnam Development Bank, the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam and the Saigon Investment Joint Stock Company – currently owns and operates the expressway.
The construction of the project began on May 19, 2008, by SK C&C, the system integration subsidiary of the SK Group. The use of Korea’s cutting-edge traffic system was adopted by the company to implement this project. The company also installed a robust monitoring system that facilitated real-time monitoring of traffic volume on the expressway through data collection from toll-house systems, vehicle detecting machines, traffic scoreboards and CCTVs, which were then sent to the central management office. The construction supervision services were provided by Meinhardt International in association with Japan Engineering Consultants, while Hadicon was responsible for conducting surveys and design works for three packages spanning 30 km of the expressway. Joton was the supplier of traffic paints for the project.
The expressway project was implemented and opened to traffic on three main stretches. The first section of the project to be opened was the 22.7 km long stretch running from the centre of Haiphong city to Provincial Highway-353 in May 2015.
Thereafter, the 52.5 km section from the intersection with National Highway-39 in northern Hung Yen province to the northern port city of Hai Phong opened to traffic in September 2015, bringing the total operating length of the expressway to 75 km.
Finally, on December 5, 2015, the entire expressway was inaugurated and opened to traffic. The expressway is 33 metres wide and has a total of 54 bridges.
There are various toll booths along the costly expressway to recover the heavy investments made during its implementation. The average distance-based toll fee is VND 1,500 per km for standard vehicles and the lowest full-trip toll fee is about VND 160,000 ($7.15) which is applicable to cars under a 12-seater, under-2-ton trucks, and buses, whereas the highest full-trip toll fee is VND 840,000 ($37.5), which is applicable to 18-ton or 40 foot trailer trucks.
Challenges faced
One of the major challenges that the project faced was its pace of progress. While construction work started on May 19, 2008; even three years after commencement of construction work, only 20 per cent of one package was complete with some others 45 per cent complete. The reason for this was that site clearance could not be carried out at certain points along the route, making it impossible for contractors to complete their jobs. Another reason for the slow progress was the technical design adjustments that created a lag.
Another major challenge faced in the implementation of this project was the high construction costs in Vietnam and low quality output as per international standards. As a result, the toll fee charged on using the expressway has turned out to be quite steep and has belied the promise of offering cost- effective transportation of freight across the region. The lowest fee is VND 160,000 for passenger vehicles under 12 seats, while the highest fee is VND 840,000 for 18-ton or 40 foot trailer trucks, which is significantly higher as compared to international standards.
Advantages of the expressway
Inaugurated on December 5, 2015, the Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway has reduced travel time between the two cities by almost an hour, from two and a half hours to one and a half. hours. As per Vietnam’s road infrastructure development plan 2020, the Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway and other expressways linking Hanoi to Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, and Ninh Binh will enable localities to realise their economic potential through reduced transformational costs and enhance the competitiveness of the region.
The expressway is a part of the strategic ASEAN road corridor and a part of the implementation of the cooperation agreement between the countries in the wider Mekong River region. It has boosted trade in the Red River Delta provinces and has become a vital facilitator of trade between northern Vietnam and the rest of the world. Its connectivity with the Tan Vu-Lach Huyen road and bridge that links it to the Lach Huyen deep-sea port (the Haiphong international gateway port), the biggest port in north Vietnam, has further enhanced and facilitated efficient freight transportation in the region.
The development of this expressway has also enabled companies in Haiphong to benefit from significantly lower operating and distribution costs. As a result, the Dinh Vu/Deep C industrial zone (IZ), an area where three national-scale infrastructure projects (Lach Huyen port, the Hanoi-Haiphong expressway, the Cat Bi International Airport) meet, will eventually become a hub for investment, logistics, manufacturing and trade.
Conclusion
Overall, the Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway is the first of its kind in Vietnam, featuring a modern controlled-access highway with a 5 cm polymer concrete surface. Its strategic location and the enhanced connectivity provided by this expressway have been instrumental in strengthening socio-economic development in the northern region of Vietnam. These projects coupled with other megaprojects in the pipeline are expected to boost trade further in the region and reduce the load on existing highways. Besides, its proximity to northern Vietnam’s largest seaport has made it a key facilitator of trade between Vietnam and the rest of the world.
