Vietnam approves $1.45B plan to link Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh Airport

Dong Nai Province has approved more than VND37 trillion (US$1.45 billion) in new bridge and road projects aimed at improving connections over 40 km between Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh International Airport.

The transport projects would include the Cat Lai Bridge, Dong Nai 2 Bridge, and the second phase of Huong Lo 2 Road.

The provincial People’s Council on Nov. 10 approved the investment plan for the second phase of Huong Lo 2, which will run from National Highway 51 to the HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway. The project, worth over VND5.9 trillion under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, includes VND573 billion in state funding for land clearance.

Huong Lo 2 spans about 15.5 kilometers. The first phase, from National Highway 51 to Vam Cai Sut Bridge, began construction in 2020. The second phase, extending 7.5 kilometers from Vam Cai Sut Bridge to the expressway, is set to begin later this year and finish by 2028.

The council also approved investment plans for the Cat Lai and Dong Nai 2 (Long Hung) bridges, two major new links between Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City.

The Cat Lai Bridge will stretch 11.6 kilometers, including a 3-kilometer main span. Designed for speeds up to 80 kph, it will feature six lanes for motor vehicles and two for non-motorized traffic. The bridge will connect Nguyen Thi Dinh Street in HCMC’s Cat Lai Ward with Dai Phuoc Commune in Dong Nai. With an estimated cost of over VND20.5 trillion, construction is expected to begin by late 2025 and finish in 2028.

Dong Nai 2 (Long Hung) Bridge will span 12 kilometers, including a 2.3-kilometer bridge section, linking National Highway 51 (Tam Phuoc Ward) to Ring Road 3 (Long Phuoc Ward). It will also feature six motor lanes and two for light vehicles, with a total investment of about VND11.76 trillion.

According to the Dong Nai People’s Committee, these projects aim to complete the regional transport network, improve freight capacity and shorten travel times between Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Long Thanh Airport, which is expected to open by mid-2026.

Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City are southern Vietnam’s two largest economic hubs, but connectivity has long been limited by outdated infrastructure.

The localities are currently linked mainly by Dong Nai 1 Bridge of National Highway 1, Long Thanh Bridge of HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, and Nhon Trach Bridge on Ring Road 3. A series of new roads and bridges now in planning are expected to transform regional mobility and strengthen the southeast’s economic corridor.