The four construction packages named A1, A2-1, A2-2 and A3 are among eight packages funded by ADB and have a total length of 18.7km running through Long An province and Ho Chi Minh City.
The four packages also include the construction of three traffic intersections and nearly 8km of overpass.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong said that the Ben Luc-Long Thanh highway is an important transport project of Vietnam. Upon its completion, the highway will help connect the southwestern region with the southeastern region without transit through Ho Chi Minh City.
It will also connect the seaport system of Cai Mep-Thi Vai and Sao Mai-Ben Dinh with Long Thanh international airport and shorten travel time from Long An to Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.
Ben Luc-Long Thanh highway has a total length of 57.1 km running through Long An province (2.7km), Ho Chi Minh City (26.4km) and Dong Nai province (28km).
The first phase of the project requires an investment of VND31.3 trillion (roughly US$1.6 billion) including US$636 million funded by ADB, US$635 funded by the Japanese Government via JICA and the counterpart capital of US$337 million from Vietnamese Government.
The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.
