Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu focuses on infrastructure development to boost tourism

The Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway Project is expected to promote tourism in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province. VNA/VNS Photo

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU – The southern coastal province of Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu is mobilising all resources to speed up the progress of major transport projects, including roads, railways and bridges.

Transportation is considered the lifeblood of the economy. Smooth traffic will ensure the connection of regions, thereby promoting tourism development. Therefore, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province has focused on completing many key transportation projects in the area.

Among major public-invested projects, three of the most important projects are the Biên Hòa – Vũng Tàu expressway, 994 Coastal Road and 991B Road, according to the provincial People’s Committee.

The 994 Coastal Road Project has a total length of nearly 77 kilometres with a design of six to eight lanes and a total investment of over VNĐ6.5 trillion (US$278 million).

The project’s starting point shall intersect with 991B Street of Phú Mỹ Town and its ending point would intersect with National Highway No.55 in Bình Châu Commune, Xuyên Mộc District.

The project will be finished and put into use some time between the end of May of 2025 to the third quarter of 2026. It will connect infrastructure and create an economic corridor connecting Cái Mép – Thị Vải Port with Long Thành International Airport, the Biên Hòa – Vũng Tàu Expressway and develop tourism in the localities.

This route passes through coastal tourist areas and coastal cities such as Long Hải, Phước Hải, Hồ Tràm, and Bình Châu to create a driving force for tourism development.

Chairwoman of Xuyên Mộc District People’s Committee Lê Thị Trang Đài said that to connect with 994 Coastal Road, the locality had been investing in inter-district and inter-commune traffic projects, such as the 328, 329, 991 provincial roads from the Hồ Tràm Tourist Area to Bình Châu Tourist Area, in order to create conditions for tourists from HCM City, Đồng Nai and Bình Thuận provinces to travel conveniently.

Deputy Chairman of Vũng Tàu City People’s Committee Vũ Hồng Thuấn said that the 994 Coastal Road is a vital road, opening up development opportunities for coastal districts, towns and cities of the province.

“The implementation of the project is an opportunity for us to see opportunities and different approaches to realise the goal of turning Vũng Tàu into a world-class coastal tourism urban area,” Thuấn emphasised.

Tourist areas and coastal urban projects along the 994 Coastal Road connect the coastal tourism axis of Vũng Tàu, Long Hải, Phước Hải, Lộc An and Hồ Tràm. VNA/VNS Photo

Along with the expansion and upgrading of 994 Coastal Road, the Biên Hòa- Vũng Tàu Expressway first phase, 53.7 kilometres long, is also being accelerated by contractors. When the project is completed, it will form a backbone traffic axis and solve congestion on Highway No. 51.

The Biên Hòa-Vũng Tàu Expressway project will connect Biên Hòa City in Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa City in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province. It will run parallel to National Highway No. 51 and cut through the HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây expressway and Bến Lức-Long Thành expressway.

As a key national expressway project, the project is expected to ease traffic congestion on National Highway No. 51, and facilitate travel between Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces and HCM City in the southern key economic zone.

The first phase of the expressway project will have a length of 53.7km, including a 34.2km section in Đồng Nai, with an estimated investment of VNĐ17.8 trillion (US$755.5 million).

It will be carried out under three component projects and is scheduled to be completed by 2025 and open to traffic in 2026.

The new expressway will have four to six lanes in the first phase and six to eight lanes in the second phase.

Construction on a 19.5km section of the expressway project passing through Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province started in June this year, according to the province’s Department of Transport.

National Highway No. 51 is becoming overcrowded, causing serious traffic problems. In recent years, increasing demand for travel with personal vehicles and freight transport has caused serious congestion on the highway, especially during rush hours on weekends and holidays.

The province is also speeding up work on many intra-provincial road projects that lead to the Cái Mép – Thị Vải Port complex in Phú Mỹ Town.

The 9.7-km 991B Road from National Highway No. 51 downstream to Cái Mép is one of the projects. With investment capital of VNĐ3.95 trillion ($170.6 million), the road will be a major traffic route facilitating the transport of cargo to and from the port complex.

It is scheduled to be put into operation in 2024 and will be one of six arterial roads in the province that will help promote key economic sectors, especially port logistics services.

Another project, the 3.75-km Long Sơn – Cái Mép Road, worth about VNĐ1.19 trillion ($52.4 million), started construction in June.

Construction of a new 2.6km-long road behind Mỹ Xuân-Thị Vải Port is expected to be completed this year.

In the coming years, the province will continue creating favourable policies and conditions for tourism. – VNS