After a period of diligent efforts to complete the required legal procedures, the construction of the Ninh Bình – Hải Phòng expressway segment in Ninh Bình province officially began on the morning of April 19.
Total Investment of Nearly VND 7 Trillion
Managed by the Ninh Bình Transport Construction Project Management Board, this expressway starts at the Mai Sơn interchange—connecting to the North-South East Expressway in Mai Sơn commune (Yên Mô district)—and ends at the Đáy River overpass leading to Nam Định province in Khánh Cường commune (Yên Khánh district). The route spans 25.3 km across Yên Mô and Yên Khánh districts, with a total investment of VND 6,865 billion.
The expressway is designed as a 4-lane road with a 120 km/h speed limit, a roadbed nearly 25 m wide, and a 15 m carriageway. It includes 12 bridges, three pedestrian overpasses, and three interchanges. Funding comprises both central government and Ninh Bình provincial budgets.
According to Mr. Phạm Quốc Chính, Director of the Transport Construction Project Management Board, the project is of exceptional importance to Ninh Bình’s development. The provincial Steering Committee, led by the provincial chair, has been tracking progress weekly and addressing issues as soon as they arise. So far, 18 of 20 contractor packages—with a combined budget of over VND 4,387 billion—have been tendered, and construction and supervision contracts are signed and ready to proceed post-groundbreaking.
Regarding compensation and land clearance, Ninh Bình’s districts have surveyed and registered all 2,501 affected entities covering approximately 227 ha. Of that, 5.8 ha is residential land, with compensation paid totaling VND 618.375 billion. Ten resettlement sites have been established, with technical infrastructure plans finalized and land-use plans approved.
A total of VND 4,953 billion has been allocated to the project—VND 3,000 billion from the central budget (2025 public investment) and VND 1,953 billion from the province (2024–2025).
According to Mr. Nguyễn Cao Sơn, Vice Chairman of Ninh Bình People’s Committee, the project timeline has been shortened to three years (2024–2026), compared to the initial 2024–2029 schedule.
Expanding Inter-Regional Transport Connectivity
The Ninh Bình–Hải Phòng expressway is a key infrastructure project in national transport strategy. It not only connects coastal provinces in northern Vietnam but also drives socio-economic development—especially in tourism and trade—for regions along its route. Once completed, it will benefit Ninh Bình, Nam Định, Thái Bình, and Hải Phòng profoundly.
Mr. Phạm Quốc Chính remarked that the expressway will link with the Mai Sơn–QL45 expressway, ease traffic on the Mai Sơn–Cao Bồ Expressway via Hoa Lư City and Tam Tòa Bridge, and improve traffic in eastern Ninh Bình (Nga Sơn, Thanh Hóa), national road QL10, coastal routes, and east–west corridors.
Ninh Bình, home to celebrated landscapes like Tràng An, Tam Cốc–Bích Động, and Hoa Lư Ancient Capital, has long attracted tourists. Meanwhile, Hải Phòng is a major industrial and port hub. However, travel between the two has been linked to time-consuming national and provincial roads. The expressway will halve travel time, greatly boosting tourism and improving access to Cát Bi International Airport in Hải Phòng.
Beyond tourism, the new expressway will make Ninh Bình more attractive for investment in processing industries and high-tech agriculture by offering seamless logistical connections to Hải Phòng’s industrial zones and seaports.
The province is also implementing a comprehensive infrastructure development plan through 2030, focusing on regional transportation, urban upgrading, and industrial infrastructure. Goals include expanding the main transport network—expressways, national and provincial roads—connecting with neighboring Red River Delta provinces and the Hanoi–Hải Phòng–Quảng Ninh growth triangle.
Additionally, Ninh Bình plans to establish 11 industrial parks (totaling ~2,790 ha) by 2030, alongside strengthening urban infrastructure, especially in Ninh Bình City and emerging growth centers. The aim is to create dynamic urban areas with modern transit systems and efficient interprovincial and tourism corridor links by 2030.