A section of the Ha Noi-Hai Phong highway. The road cost nearly VND45.5 trillion (US$2 billion) and has a total length of 105.8 kilometres. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Ha Noi-Hai Phong highway, the most modern of its kind in Viet Nam, officially opened for traffic on Saturday.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who witnessed the opening ceremony, hailed the seven-year efforts made by the investors, contractors, engineers, workers, and financial organisations to complete the project amid the country's economic difficulties.

Together with the Ha Noi-Lao Cai, Ha Noi-Thai Nguyen expressways, the road will help enhance connectivity and increase the efficiency of the northern economic region, he stated.

He asked the Ministry of Transport to exert more efforts to fulfill the target of 2,000km of highways across the nation by 2020. Currently, 710km of highways have been built.

Viet Nam will create favourable conditions for foreign investors to invest in infrastructure development in Viet Nam, he added.

Construction on the Ha Noi-Hai Phong highway commenced on May 19, 2008, the road begins at the Belt Road 3 in the capital city, traverses Hung Yen and Hai Duong provinces, and ends at Dinh Vu port of Hai Phong.

Invested by the Viet Nam Infrastructure Development and Finance Investment JSC., the road is built at a total cost of nearly VND45.5 trillion (US$2 billion) under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract.

It has a total length of 105.8km, and a width of 33m with six lanes and an intended speed of 120km per hour. It has 54 bridges in total. — VNS