The Prime Minister recently issued Decision 1454/QD-TTg approving the Master Plan for Road Network Development in 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, under which the country will have 5,004 km of highways by 2030.

Driving economic growth

The road network development planning is one of five specialized master transportation plans (road, inland waterway, airport, seaport and railway). This is the first time that specialized transport plans were launched at the same time, with clear roles based on the advantages of each mode on main transport corridors to ensure systematicity and interconnectivity.

The construction and ratification of road network development plans received special attention and firm direction from the Government, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, Chairman of the Appraisal Council of the five master transport plans in 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.

Planning was built on the thorough understanding of documents of National Party Congresses, especially the 12th and 13th terms, in compliance with the Law on Planning.

This road network development plan states that roads are a flexible and effective method for short and medium distances (under 300 km), assisting in gathering and releasing goods and passengers for different modes of transport.

According to the master plan, the road system must ensure interconnectivity between the national road system and the local road system, and between developed regions and poor areas; and also link to domestic and international transport hubs, especially linking traffic hubs and infrastructure of other transport modes (railway stations, seaports, river ports and airports).

At the same time, the road planning has been integrated and synchronized with the four other specialized transport master plans, thus defining the list of priority projects for the national road system, the list of local road projects needed to be prioritized to be included in the provincial road planning to ensure interconnectivity of regional and national transport networks, as well as investment outcomes.

This plan allows adjustments to road investment progress if localities realize the need for earlier investment and capably arrange resources for the change or when they need to widen national highways that run through such localities. In the latter case, the central budget will fund the planned investment and localities will cover the budget for expanded spaces.

Planning results suggested that the list of prioritized projects that produce ripple effects and driving forces for regional or inter-regional development and boost effective investment. Notably, the plan prioritizes inclusion of expressways to be built in 2021-2030 into the investment portfolio to form inter-regional expressway networks, the backbone of the national road system. In particular, it focuses on completing the Eastern North-South Expressway, several expressways across the country and urban belt roads in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. By 2030, more than 5,000 km of highways can be put into operation, as announced by the 13th National Party Congress.

Mobilizing all available resources

The road construction process will be carried out strictly and scientifically, based on actual conditions and regulatory compliance.

In order to realize viewpoints, goals, and visions of the proposed master plans, solutions are focused on mobilizing all available resources to invest in road infrastructure development, especially expressways; promoting PPP investment in which the state budget plays a supporting, leading and inspiring role to attract most resources from other economic sectors. Institutionalizing solutions on decentralization of resource mobilization and implementation to localities is important for successful plan implementation.