Work on the bridges over the Can Giuoc, Vam Co Tay and Vam Co Dong rivers along the Dong Luc axis road will start next year and is expected to take five years.

The funding will come from the central and provincial governments and other sources.

Local authorities hope the improved connectivity will accelerate urbanization, attract investment and contribute to the development of Long An and its neighboring provinces.

Lawmakers and officials have been saying for years that connectivity was badly lacking between Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta provinces, causing a development bottleneck for the region.

The government plans to build seven major expressways totaling 1,000 km at a cost of VND150 trillion ($6.49 billion) in the delta.

The delta is home to around 20 million people, or a fifth of the Vietnam’s population, and is the country’s rice basket and aquaculture hub.