(News Portal – Dong Nai) - Transportation
infrastructure is identified as one of the province's breakthrough development
strategies, with the goal of investing in a synchronized, modern, smart
infrastructure framework that adapts to climate change and creates new
development momentum.
The first phase of Long Thanh
Airport is expected to launch its first commercial flight in September 2026.
Transportation Infrastructure as a Driver for Development
Dong Nai is located at the heart of the Southern Key Economic Region and serves as a major transportation hub for both the region and the entire country.
In recent years, both central and local governments have prioritized investment in the transportation infrastructure system across the province to gradually complete and synchronize it.
The Long Thanh International Airport is the largest infrastructure investment project in Viet Nam's history and is also a particularly important national transportation infrastructure project being implemented in Dong Nai Province.
Assessing the significance of Long Thanh Airport in terms of transportation, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics and a member of the Government Advisory Team, stated that Long Thanh Airport will address many fundamental strategic issues on a national and regional scale, not just for Dong Nai, especially in the increasingly competitive global environment. It will help resolve long-standing bottlenecks, including air traffic and urban transportation congestion. “Therefore, Long Thanh Airport first carries the mission of solving national congestion, enhancing regional connectivity, and linking Vietnam to the world," said Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Linh, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, planning must leverage all of the province's competitive advantages compared to other localities. In Dong Nai's provincial plan, the province identifies its geographic location, the advantages of the Dong Nai River, Cat Tien National Park, and its strengths in industrial and tourism development, with Long Thành Airport being the key comparative advantage that sets Dong Nai apart from other localities.
In addition to Long Thanh Airport, Dong Nai's comparative advantage in transportation infrastructure is further “enhanced" by a series of expressway and ring road projects that are either under construction or planned in the province.
Mr. Nguyen Bon, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport, noted that Dong Nai currently has five expressways and two ring roads that are either in progress or planned for construction. “Dong Nai is now the third-ranking locality in the country in terms of expressway length, after Hanoi and Nghe An," Mr. Nguyen Bon added.
The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway Project segment passing through the province is nearing the final stage of construction.
The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway Project segment passing through the province is entering the final stage of construction.
Securing Investment Funds
To maximize the development potential of Long Thanh Airport, Dong Nai is currently investing in the construction of connecting transportation routes such as Provincial Roads 25B, 25C, 769, 770B, and 773. In addition to the road network, Dong Nai's provincial plan aims to invest in 12 new provincial roads by 2030. At the same time, the province plans to upgrade and expand 10 existing key transportation routes to ensure connectivity between districts, townships, and cities, facilitating tourism development, urban expansion, and linking the province's growth areas.
Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Hong Linh stated that Dong Nai currently requires approximately $2 billion to develop the infrastructure in the economic zones surrounding Long Thành Airport.
Besides the road network, the provincial plan also outlines investment in other forms of transportation to create new development drivers.
Mr. Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of the Dong Nai People's Committee, noted that after decades of high growth, Dong Nai's economy has recently shown signs of slowing down, with a clear decline in growth speed, which could lead to the province falling behind neighboring localities. One of the identified causes is that the transportation infrastructure has not kept up with development needs.
According to Mr. Nguyen Bon, aside from the lack of synchronization, the major "bottleneck" in transportation within the province in recent years has been the over-reliance on the road system. Therefore, the provincial plan also targets appropriate investment levels for other transportation types, such as railways, waterways, and airways.
Specifically, for waterway transportation, the province will develop a multi-purpose system that not only meets the demand for freight transport to support the province's economic development but also serves tourism and leisure activities. Additionally, the system will work in coordination with the irrigation sector to ensure water supply for agriculture, daily use, and water reserves for the Southeast Region.
Regarding railways, Dong Nai will collaborate with the Ministry of Transport to invest in national railway lines passing through the province. At the same time, the province will proactively propose transportation connections at railway stations and develop Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) around these stations. Dong Nai will also develop urban railway lines to transport passengers between Bien Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, and Long Thanh Airport.