HCMC - HCMC plans to invest VND25 trillion to expand two key national highways, National Highway 1 and National Highway 22, to improve traffic and enhance connectivity within the city and its surrounding regions.

These projects are part of five gateway expansion projects in HCMC, which will be implemented under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) pilot format as authorized by the National Assembly's Resolution 98 on special mechanisms and policies for HCMC. The 9.6-kilometer section of National Highway 1, running from Kinh Duong Vuong Street in Binh Tan District to Long An Province, is a vital connection between HCMC and the Mekong Delta. The road's current narrow lanes and mixed traffic create safety risks, particularly for motorcycles and smaller vehicles. The proposed ground-level expansion of National Highway 1 will widen the road to 10-12 lanes, add new overpasses and interchanges, and upgrade existing infrastructure. This approach will utilize existing bridges to reduce costs and accelerate construction. The total investment cost of these upgrades is estimated at nearly VND15.9 trillion. National Highway 22, linking HCMC to the Moc Bai International Border Gate in Tay Ninh Province, passes through District 12 and Hoc Mon District. Its current two-lane design can hardly handle increasing traffic volumes, resulting in frequent congestion and accidents. The expansion plan for a 8.7-kilometer section of National Highway 22 from An Suong Intersection to the under-construction HCMC Beltway No. 3 includes widening the road to 10 lanes and building overpasses at key intersections. The project is estimated to cost VND8.4 trillion, with over half funded by the city and the remainder through the BOT format. Both projects are scheduled to begin in 2025 and are expected to complement other major infrastructure developments, such as the North-South Expressway and the city's beltways, to boost overall connectivity in the region.