The Bến Lức - Long Thành Expressway, a significant infrastructure project in southern Vietnam, is anticipated to be fully operational by September. According to the Vietnam Expressway Development Investment Corporation (VEC), the majority of the construction work has been completed, with approximately 99% of the contract value achieved as of the first week of August.

The expressway spans nearly 58 kilometers, with about 55 kilometers already constructed. Of this, nearly 30 kilometers have been temporarily opened to traffic, including sections from the intersection with the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Lương Expressway to the Nguyễn Văn Tạo intersection, and from the Phước An intersection to National Route 51. The temporarily opened sections include all seven interchanges along the route.

However, there are still about 25 kilometers that have been completed but cannot yet be opened due to insufficient traffic connections. VEC and contractors are working diligently to finalize the remaining sections, including the Phước Khánh Bridge and the interchange with National Route 51, which are expected to be completed by the end of August.

Despite the progress, the project has faced challenges, particularly in land compensation and the availability of construction materials such as fill soil and aggregate for asphalt and concrete production. The expressway is designed with four lanes for motor vehicles and two emergency lanes, allowing for a speed limit of 100 km/h.

With a total investment of nearly 29.6 trillion VND, funded by multiple sources including loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Bến Lức - Long Thành Expressway will significantly improve connectivity between the western and southeastern regions of Ho Chi Minh City. It is expected to alleviate traffic pressure on existing roads and shorten travel times between the Mekong Delta provinces and Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, as well as the Long Thành airport area.