Hanoi’s Department of Transport plans to widen a stretch of Ring Road 2 from the Nga Tu So intersection to the Cau Giay-Lang intersection, Lang Road, at a total cost of VND21 trillion (US$826 million).

Ram to the elevated road to the Nga Tu So junction on Truong Chinh Street. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Under the plan, the capital will build an elevated section at a cost of VND3.9 trillion ($153.3 million) and widen the existing route for VND17 trillion ($668 million), of which VND16.7 trillion ($656.4 million) will be spent on land clearance.

When completed, the new road will be 53.5m wide, allowing a maximum speed of 80km per hour. It is expected to complete Hanoi's Ring Road 2.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2030. The capital government will partner with private investors to deliver the project.

Hanoi's Ring Road 2 runs along Minh Khai, Dai La, Truong Chinh, Lang, and Vo Chi Cong streets from Vinh Tuy Bridge to Nhat Tan Bridge.

Two sections of the ring road, one from Vinh Tuy Bridge to Nga Tu So intersection and the other from Cau Giay intersection to Nhat Tan Bridge, were widened a few years ago. From a two-lane road, the ring road now has five to six lanes in each direction.

Meanwhile, some sections of the road still have three lanes in each direction, such as from Nga Tu So to the Cau Giay junction. According to the Hanoi Department of Transport, Lang Road was designed for an average of 3,000 vehicles per hour, but now has to cope with the traffic of 8,000 vehicles per hour, leading to chronic congestion during the day, even at off-peak times.

According to Doan Minh Tam, former director of the Institute of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Transport, the upgrading of Ring Road 2 and Lang Road will help relieve traffic congestion.

Hanoi is also considering 10 other infrastructure projects. These include the upgrading of the National Route 21 section between Son Tay Town, Hoa Lac, and Xuan Mai Town; the construction of an underground transfer depot between the Cat Linh-Ha Dong and Nhon-Hanoi Station metro lines; and the Tay Thang Long line in the Dan Phuong and Phuc Tho districts.