Previously, Yen Bai voters requested the Ministry of Transport to direct the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) to promptly invest in the construction of the IC15 interchange according to the approved plan; at the same time, promptly implement the project to upgrade and expand the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section to ensure the entire route is synchronously divided into 4 lanes and connect inter-regional routes with Yen Bai, Lai Chau provinces and localities of Yen Bai province.
Yen Bai province added that the province is investing in the construction of a number of key traffic projects connecting with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway through the IC15 intersection such as: Khanh Hoa - Van Yen road under the inter-regional traffic infrastructure construction project to support socio-economic development of poor districts in Yen Bai province; road connecting National Highway 32 with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway (IC15); upgrading the road connecting National Highway 37 with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway (IC15); inter-regional connecting road connecting Muong La (Yen Bai), Than Uyen, Tan Uyen (Lai Chau), Mu Cang Chai, Van Chan, Van Yen (Yen Bai) with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway (IC15).
Responding to this issue, the Ministry of Transport said that the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway is 264km long and was put into operation in 2014 with a scale of 4 lanes for the Noi Bai - Yen Bai section and 2 lanes for the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section.
After nearly 10 years of operation, traffic volume on the route has increased, so it is necessary to invest in upgrading the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section from 2 lanes to 4 lanes and build the remaining intersections (including IC15 intersection) to strengthen the connection of national highways, local roads with the expressway, meeting the demand for connecting transportation.
Currently, the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway is managed and operated by the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) under the Committee for State Capital Management at Enterprises.
Therefore, the Ministry of Transport will continue to coordinate with the Committee for State Capital Management at Enterprises and VEC to mobilize capital, soon invest in expanding the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section to a scale of 4 lanes, and complete investment in intersections on the route.
