Vietnam parliament approves the use of state budget for North-South expressway sections
	160km Expressway Proposed to Link Laos, Thailand and Vietnam

Speaking at the ceremony, leaders of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee emphasized that the project carries special significance and is expected to remove the region’s biggest transportation infrastructure bottleneck, creating new momentum for local development as well as the broader Northern midland and mountainous areas.

The Son La - Dien Bien - Tay Trang Border Gate Expressway project (Phase 1) has a total length of approximately 48.3 kilometers. The route begins at the border between Son La and Dien Bien provinces and ends at the IC.5 interchange in Muong Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City. The expressway is designed to meet four-lane highway standards with a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour. Total investment is estimated at around VND23.252 trillion from public investment funds.

The expressway is designed to meet four-lane highway standards with a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour. (Photo: Duc Trung)

The project has been divided into two component projects to accelerate implementation. Component Project 1 focuses on compensation, support, resettlement, and site clearance, with a total investment of more than VND1.4 trillion, scheduled for implementation from 2026 to 2028. Around 276 households will be relocated to six new resettlement areas under the principle that “new homes must be equal to or better than the old ones.”

According to Dien Bien provincial leaders, prioritizing resettlement work demonstrates strong political commitment to safeguarding residents’ rights and building public consensus - a key factor in ensuring the timely implementation of this nationally important project.

Le Thanh Do, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo: Duy Linh)

Once completed, the expressway is expected to significantly shorten travel time between Dien Bien, Hanoi, and major economic hubs, reduce pressure on National Highways 6 and 279, and directly connect to the Tay Trang International Border Gate, thereby expanding opportunities for logistics, tourism, and cross-border trade development.

The project is also expected to create a “dual growth driver” alongside Dien Bien Phu Airport, helping attract investment, promote urban development, create new livelihoods for local residents, and strengthen national defense and security in the Northwestern border region.

Leaders of Dien Bien and Son La provinces, together with contractors, perform the groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo: Duy Linh)

Dien Bien provincial leaders called on residents in the project area to cooperate in handing over land for construction, contributing to the transformation of the expressway into a route of integration, development, and prosperity for the Northwestern region in the new era.

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