Minister Tran Hong Minh: Dong Dang – Tra Linh Expressway must be completed in 2025
On June 30, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh inspected the Dong Dang – Tra Linh Expressway and urged authorities and the investor to quickly resolve obstacles to ensure the route opens to traffic within 2025 as planned.
During the inspection, Minister Minh emphasized that adverse weather, especially prolonged rainfall, has negatively impacted construction activities. He stressed the need for contractors to make full use of dry days to accelerate progress by maximizing the deployment of manpower, equipment, and machinery.
Minister Tran Hong Minh and delegation inspect the Dong Dang – Tra Linh Expressway site.
Currently, the project has mobilized 3,260 workers and 1,500 pieces of machinery along the entire route. As of now, the construction output has reached VND 3,350 billion out of the total VND 10,628 billion—about 31.5% of the total investment.
According to the project management unit, land clearance has been completed for 93.14 out of 93.35 kilometers, accounting for approximately 99% of the required area.
In terms of technical progress, 13.81 out of 23 million cubic meters of earthwork have been excavated, while 7.25 out of 15 million cubic meters of embankment have been completed. A total of 410 out of 511 culverts and underpasses have been constructed. Fifty-four out of 59 bridges are under construction, with five overpasses yet to begin. In addition, 26,432 out of 29,720 meters of bored piles have been drilled, and 203 out of 314 abutments and piers have been erected.
Minister Tran Hong Minh gives gifts to workers at the Dong Dang – Tra Linh Expressway site.
Despite significant progress, several challenges remain. Around 15 households—seven in Lang Son and eight in Cao Bang—have not yet relocated, delaying full land clearance. Approximately 7.92 hectares of land (5 hectares in Lang Son and 3 hectares in Cao Bang) still need to be handed over in accordance with the technical design.
Geological difficulties have also arisen. During bridge construction, six underground karst caves were discovered, posing additional risks to the project's safety and schedule. The investor is currently conducting thorough inspections and developing solutions to address these issues along the entire route.
To meet the goal of opening the expressway within 2025, as directed by the Prime Minister, Minister Minh instructed the People’s Committees of Lang Son and Cao Bang to complete all remaining land clearance work, including the relocation of technical infrastructure and handover of spoil disposal sites, by July 15.
The Ministry of Construction and the Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee have agreed on transitional measures to delegate authority as per Decree No. 144/2025/NĐ-CP. This arrangement enables the project enterprise to continue coordination and implementation without disruption.
During the site visit, Minister Tran Hong Minh also presented gifts to construction workers, recognizing their dedication and efforts in overcoming adverse conditions to maintain construction momentum. He reaffirmed that local authorities and project units must “timely resolve difficulties, maintain the target of opening the route this year, and commence Phase 2 on August 19”.
