The above information is stated in a document from the Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City sent to the Urban Committee (Ho Chi Minh City People's Council) to respond to voters' opinions asked at the program "People ask - Government answers" in September 2024.
Voters living along Highway 13 said that for many years, they had to go through a difficult journey from the center of Ho Chi Minh City to their homes via Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street and Highway 13. In particular, Highway 13 is the main traffic route for people in Thu Duc City and Binh Duong Province when entering the city center.
While the section of National Highway 13 through Binh Duong province has been expanded, the section through Ho Chi Minh City remains congested, like a "bottleneck" for many years.
About a year ago, people were very excited to learn that the National Highway 13 expansion project would be implemented under the special mechanism of Resolution 98 of the National Assembly. However, to date, the project's commencement date has not been clearly determined.
Responding to voters' opinions, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport said that the project to upgrade and expand National Highway 13 (from Binh Trieu Bridge to the border of Binh Duong province) has been approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council as a list of investment projects to upgrade, expand and modernize existing road works, applying the BOT contract type (build - operate - transfer), according to the provisions of Resolution No. 98 of the National Assembly.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport was assigned by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to be the investment preparation agency. It is currently presiding over and coordinating with relevant departments and agencies to prepare a pre-feasibility study report.
Based on the Project to Adjust the General Planning of Ho Chi Minh City to 2040, with a vision to 2060 approved by competent authorities, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport will complete the dossier and is expected to submit it to competent authorities for appraisal and decision on investment policy at the meeting at the end of 2024.
The project is expected to start construction in the first quarter of 2026 and be completed in 2028.
National Highway 13, the 5km section from Binh Trieu Bridge to Binh Phuoc Intersection, was previously part of the Binh Trieu 2 Bridge and Road Project, which was implemented under the BOT model more than 20 years ago. However, the project has not been implemented because the BOT contract was later suspended on the existing route.
With Resolution 98 passed by the National Assembly in 2023, Ho Chi Minh City has the opportunity to use the BOT model to upgrade existing infrastructure works, including National Highway 13.
The National Highway 13 expansion project (from Binh Trieu Bridge to the border of Binh Duong province) is nearly 6 km long, with a total estimated investment of about 13,851 billion VND. Of which, the cost of site clearance is up to about 9,375 billion VND. This section of National Highway 13 will be expanded to 53 m to 60 m, creating conditions for smoother traffic.
In addition to the road expansion plan, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport is also asking consultants to study another plan, which is to build an elevated road along National Highway 13. Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has consulted, proposed and updated this plan into the Ho Chi Minh City General Planning Adjustment Project as well as the technical infrastructure specialized planning.
