Roads crossing mountains in the Northeast
In Na Nam village, Thanh Thinh commune, Thai Nguyen province, Ms. H.T. H's family is subject to relocation to give up land for the Cho Moi - Bac Kan expressway project.
After initial worries, her family agreed to hand over the site when explained the policy and supported to stabilize life.
The story of Ms. H.T. H's family is also a common story of hundreds of households where the road passes through.
Thanh Thinh commune alone has about 12.5km of expressway, affecting 773 households in 12 villages. As of June 21, 2026, the locality has paid compensation to 768 households and handed over more than 104ha of land.
Cho Moi - Bac Kan expressway is 28.8km long, built with a scale of 4 lanes, 22m wide roadbed; on the route there are 18 bridges with a total length of about 4.66km.
However, as of July 31, 2026, the construction volume only reached 31.5%, facing the risk of not completing according to the plan if contractors do not have solutions to compensate for progress.
In Lang Son, the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang expressway project, nearly 60km long, with a total investment of 11,808 billion VND, is gradually connecting border gate areas with the national expressway network.
To date, the implementation value of the bidding packages has reached 74.33%; the roadbed has been completed by over 97%, and site clearance has reached over 99%.
Following this route is the Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway, 121.06km long, passing through Lang Son and Cao Bang, with a total investment of more than 26,184 billion VND.
Phase 1 alone is more than 93km long, requiring the construction of 2 tunnels through mountains and 64 bridges. The project aims to complete phase 1 in 2026, opening an additional strategic traffic axis to the Cao Bang border region.
Opening the way for the Northwest
In Tuyen Quang, the two component projects of the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang expressway phase 1 have a total length of about 104.5km.
Through inspection at the end of July 2026, the basic route sections have been connected; the roadbed and road surface are mainly completed and units are handling the remaining items.
However, prolonged heavy rain, the risk of landslides and fluctuations in fuel, asphalt and construction material prices are still direct challenges at the mountainous construction site.
On the Noi Bai - Lao Cai axis, the project to expand the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section, 121 km long, with a total investment of more than 7,667 billion VND, is being implemented to upgrade the road from 2 to 4 lanes.
The approved implementation time is from 2025 to 2027, while the investor strives to complete it in 2026.
At the Northwest gateway, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway is also opening construction fronts through complex terrain.
The section through Phu Tho is 34km long, with a total investment of 9,997 billion VND; the highlight is Hoa Son bridge, about 1.2km long, overcoming Hoa Binh Lake.
The section through Son La, more than 32km long, is targeted by the locality to be completed before December 31, 2027.
The expressway is bringing opportunities to shorten distances, reduce transportation costs and expand markets for agricultural products and highland tourism.
