Expanding the expressway during the construction phase is considered a strategic move to ensure the overall consistency of the route, save operating costs, and quickly establish a vital external transportation artery connecting the Northwest region.

Construction of the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway is underway.

The People's Committee of Son La province has officially sent a document to the Prime Minister and the Ministries of Construction and Finance proposing a plan to upgrade and complete the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway (the section passing through the province) from a 2-lane to a 4-lane highway.

Scale up to ensure consistency.

Currently, the component project passing through Son La province, with a length of over 32km, is being implemented in phases. According to the initial design, this road will have 2 lanes with a roadbed width of 12m, and a total investment of over 4,900 billion VND. The project commenced in mid-May 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2028.

However, given that adjacent sections such as Moc Chau - Son La - Dien Bien to Tay Trang Border Gate are being studied for investment to expand to 4 lanes, the People's Committee of Son La province believes that the early expansion of the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau section is an urgent requirement. This will not only ensure synchronous connectivity but also improve the efficiency of the entire expressway in accordance with the Prime Minister's directive in Official Dispatch No. 05/CD-TTg issued in early 2026.

A "golden opportunity" to save resources.

According to the proposing unit's calculations, upgrading to 4 lanes will require an additional capital of approximately 4,476 billion VND. If approved, the total investment for the entire project will increase to over 9,400 billion VND, to be implemented in the period 2026 - 2030.

Local authorities believe this is a "golden" time to adjust the project's scale due to existing technical and site advantages. Notably, the province had already carried out comprehensive land clearance beforehand, eliminating the risk of re-encroachment and reducing the pressure on land management.

Technically, approximately 10km (equivalent to 30% of the route length) has already had its roadbed completed. Upgrading at this stage only requires adding the road surface structure, minimizing complex transition points and enhancing traffic safety. More importantly, since the project is newly underway, constructing a four-lane road from the outset will be much more advantageous than simultaneously operating and expanding the road later, significantly saving on equipment mobilization and site maintenance costs.

Proposal for allocation of central government budget funds.

Based on socio-economic efficiency analyses, the People's Committee of Son La province requests the Ministry of Construction to promptly submit to the Prime Minister for approval the plan to upgrade the road. At the same time, the locality also requests the central government to consider and allocate budget funds for the 2026-2030 period to expedite the completion of this key project.

The complete investment in the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway is not just about transportation infrastructure, but also a crucial lever to boost the economy of the highlands, shorten the gap between mountainous and lowland areas, and create momentum for the development of tourism and border trade.