Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan (middle) inspects the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway route at the end of August 2024. Photo: Q.D.

The Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee has just agreed with the plan to adjust the route and construction investment scale of the Quy Nhon - Pleiku Expressway Project extending to Phu My Industrial Park and Port and assigned the Provincial Transport Project Management Board to urgently advise and propose the Provincial People's Committee to report to the Ministry of Transport to update the adjusted and supplemented contents to the project.

Accordingly, in Binh Dinh province, the starting point intersects with the coastal road DT.639 (at about Km 49+282), in My Tho commune, Phu My district; the end point is the planned location for the construction of An Khe tunnel, the administrative boundary between Binh Dinh province and Gia Lai province.

The length of the route in Binh Dinh province is about 69.3 km, of which about 30 km is taken advantage of the North-South Eastern Expressway (CT01).

Specifically, Section 01 is about 16 km long from the starting point, the route goes west to the North-South expressway in the East; Section 02 is about 30 km long, taking advantage of the North-South expressway in the East from Phu My intersection to National Highway 19B intersection; Section 03 is about 23.3 km long from National Highway 19B to An Khe tunnel according to the route being submitted to the Ministry of Transport.

In terms of scale, the project is built according to the complete plan with Bnền = 24.75 m; there are 2 interconnecting intersections at the intersection with National Highway 1 and National Highway 19; investing in upgrading and expanding the existing National Highway 19B from the National Highway 19B intersection (belonging to CT01) to the main gate of Phu Cat airport, 8.7 km long, reaching a level III road - 04 lanes (Bnền = 20.5 m) to become a route connecting 2 expressways with Phu Cat airport.

It is known that previously on December 5, 2024, in a document sent to the Ministry of Transport, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province mentioned that it had assigned the Provincial Transport Project Management Board to preside over and coordinate with relevant departments, branches and localities to research, survey and report on the proposed route plan for the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway with the main contents as above.

Regarding the reason for adjusting the route, Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee mentioned that according to the adjusted Phu My District Regional Planning, Phu My port is oriented as a functional area of ​​traffic works - seaports associated with a concentrated, multi-industry industrial park, increasing the attraction of industrial types suitable for the orientation of Phu My Industrial Park.

“In the future, this place promises to become a major cargo transit port for the Central and Central Highlands provinces. According to that orientation, it is necessary to study and adjust the starting point of the Quy Nhon – Pleiku expressway route to connect with Phu My port to orient the development of the transport system to meet the needs of transport and circulation of goods serving industrial parks and seaports,” the Provincial People’s Committee stated the reason in a document sent to the Ministry of Transport.

In a document responding to voters and the National Assembly delegation of Binh Dinh province on October 10, 2024, the Ministry of Transport mentioned that according to the Road Network Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Quy Nhon - Pleiku Expressway (CT.20) has a length of 180 km; starting point at Nhon Hoi Port, Binh Dinh Province, ending point at Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province; scale of 4 lanes.

Then, at the request of Binh Dinh province on June 26, 2024, the Ministry of Transport reviewed and updated the planning content of the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway with the starting point from Nhon Hoi port to An Nhon town.

Regarding the investment method, the Ministry of Transport also stated that the People's Committee of Gia Lai province has coordinated with the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province to study and issue Document No. 1191/LT-GL-BD dated May 19, 2024 to report to the Prime Minister on the investment plan; in which it is recommended to invest in the project in the form of public investment, with a scale of 4 complete lanes, with a total investment of about 37,653 billion VND.

And in a recent document sent to the Ministry of Transport, the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province stated that the investment plan under the public-private partnership (PPP) method is not feasible; requested the Ministry to propose to the Prime Minister to consider and approve investment under the form of public investment (assigning the Ministry of Transport as the competent agency to implement the project; the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province will carry out compensation, support for site clearance and resettlement according to administrative boundaries).

According to the adjustment plan of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee, the total investment of Quy Nhon - Pleiku Expressway Project is expected to increase from VND 35,940 billion to VND 38,419 billion (due to the increase in Binh Dinh area from VND 13,790 billion to VND 16,269 billion). The route length increases from 122.9 km to 154.9 km (increasing by 32 km in Binh Dinh province).