HCMC – The Department for Roads of Vietnam has proposed the Ministry of Transport suspend National Highway 51 toll collection from December 17 this year.

National Highway 51 has high traffic volumes as it connects HCMC and its two neighboring provinces, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, which are home to many industrial parks. The two toll stations on this highway often cause serious traffic congestion on weekends and holidays.

The department has written to the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway Development Joint Stock Company (BVEC) asking it to resolve outstanding issues and determine the duration of toll collection for the National Highway 51 expansion project under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format.

The department said on its website (drvn.gov.vn) that based on its calculations, the project broke even on March 9, 2022 and the final date of toll collection was December 17, 2022.

BVEC has been requested to promptly settle debt, if any, ensure benefits for those workers who lose their jobs when the toll stations are suspended from operation, and prepare paperwork for the handover of the 72-km highway to the State.

Nearly VND3,800 billion was spent to widen the highway to eight lanes and the upgraded road was opened to traffic in April 2013.