Investment in National Highway 26B

Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee has just issued a Decision approving the Feasibility Study Report of the Project to Upgrade and Expand National Highway 26B to connect the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway Project to Nam Van Phong Port. The project is expected to be a driving force for the development of infrastructure for industrial park and seaport in the south of Van Phong, attracting investment and developing the local and regional socio-economy.

Expanding from 2 to 6 lanes

National Highway 26B connecting National Highway 1 to South Van Phong Port (Ninh Hoa town) has a current roadbed width of 12m, a roadbed width of 7m, and an asphalt concrete structure, which was completed and put into operation in 2000. In the current period, the road surface is narrow, not meeting the transportation needs from National Highway 1 to South Van Phong Port and Ninh Thuy Industrial Park. In particular, when the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway project is completed and put into operation in early 2027, National Highway 26B will not be able to meet the demand for direct connection from the expressway to South Van Phong Port.

A section of National Highway 26B

To meet practical requirements, on April 23, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision approving the Feasibility Study Report of the Project to Upgrade and Expand National Highway 26B to connect the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway to South Van Phong Port. The project is about 13.3km long, with the starting point at the intersection of Provincial Road 1B and the end point at the intersection with National Highway 1 (also the starting point of the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway project). The route is upgraded to the technical standards of a grade III plain road, with a design speed of 80km/h. The road will be expanded from 2 lanes to 6 lanes (including 4 lanes for cars and 2 lanes for non-motorized vehicles); the roadbed is 26m wide, including a road surface of 11m wide on each side, a median strip of 3m wide, and a 0.5m wide shoulder on each side. In addition, the project will also upgrade and construct river-crossing bridges with a bridge width equivalent to the road width; extend, expand, and add cross-drainage culverts; complete the lighting system, traffic safety, and works on the route.

Strengthening regional linking

According to the leader of the Provincial Management Board for Investment in Construction of Agricultural and Transport Works (project investor), the upgraded and expanded National Highway 26B will improve traffic capacity, maximize the advantages and development potential of the province, especially in the field of marine economy. At the same time, it contributes to improving the ability to connect key transport infrastructure with spillover effects, connecting industrial parks, export processing zones, potential seaport planning areas; creating links with the regional transport network and connecting technical infrastructure of industrial parks in Van Phong Economic Zone. When completed, the route, together with the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway, will form an additional horizontal axis connecting with the North - South expressway in the east, contributing to completing the road transport network, serving the connection of Khanh Hoa with the Central Highlands, connecting economic centers, seaports, meeting transportation needs, creating regional links and strong development momentum for the Central Highlands and South Central regions. Pham Van Hoa - Deputy Director of the Provincial Management Board of Investment and Construction of Agricultural and Transport Works said that the Project to Upgrade and Expand National Highway 26B plays a key role in developing infrastructure for South Van Phong industrial park and seaport; attracting investment and creating momentum for local and regional socio-economic development. The implementation of this route not only contributes to solving the increasing traffic demand, but also opens up great opportunities to effectively exploit the logistics potential of South Van Phong seaport - one of the important highlights in the development planning of the South Central region. In the coming time, the management board will urgently organize bidding for construction drawing design; survey, design, review, appraisal and approval of construction drawings; bidding to select construction contractors to organize the project commencement in August 2025.

The project to upgrade and expand National Highway 26B is invested by the Provincial Management Board of Investment Projects for Construction of Agricultural and Transport Works, with a total capital of more than 865 billion VND. Of which, the cost of compensation and resettlement support is more than 227 billion VND; the construction cost is nearly 520 billion VND.

Van Ky

Translated by T.T