west east corridor 12jun2

Work on the construction of crossroads and flyovers on the Trans-Asia Highway started on June 8, at the Binh Phuoc crossroads in Thu Duc district, Ho Chi Minh City.

The project includes the building of Thu Duc, Linh Xuan and Cu Chi crossroads, the extension of Truong Chinh road from An Suong to Tham Luong bridge, and the construction of a 505 metre-long flyover at Binh Phuoc crossroads.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Construction of Vietnam's section of the Trans-Asia Highway linking Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh started in 1999 and is expected to be completed in mid-2003.

The section within Vietnam has a total length of almost 80 kilometres, divided into three segments.

The project has a total investment capital of US $144 million. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a loan of US $100 million and the remaining sum has been provided by the Vietnamese side for ground clearance and the removal of unexploded bombs and land mines.

Once completed, the highway will serve as an economic corridor linking Thi Vai deep-water seaport (in Ba Ria-Vung Tau), to Saigon Port (in Ho Chi Minh City) and Moc Bai Border Gate to Cambodia and, in the future, to other Asian countries. (VNA)