Ambition to Expand Lam Dong’s Development Space

A New Pulse from New Roads in Lam Dong

In Tan Phu Hamlet, Duc Trong Commune, during the final days of August, the hectic pace of construction has overshadowed the highland chill and sudden showers. Amid the unpredictable sunshine and rain, excavators and bulldozers roar while welding sparks light up the site.

After months of delays caused by procedural obstacles, workers are now rushing to construct an overpass at the Bao Loc - Lien Khuong Expressway. The outline of the expressway is gradually taking shape, turning a long-held dream of local residents into reality.

Luong Ngoc Thai, head of a construction team, said his team is working in two groups: one drills the ground for bored piles, while the other welds steel and bends reinforcement frames for the bridge piles. More than a dozen workers from different parts of the country have been stationed at the site for two months.

“We work until the job is done rather than counting the hours. Whenever the weather clears, we work as hard as possible to stay on schedule,” Thai said.

Along the Tan Phu - Bao Loc section, although disbursement has reached only 30 - 45%, construction on the ground is proceeding at a brisk pace. After receiving the site in July, Son Hai and other contractors promptly mobilized heavy machinery and began construction.

Ngo Tri Thanh, a representative of the supervision consultant, said: “Lam Dong is entering the rainy season, so every sunny period is precious. Workers and machinery are operating at full capacity to keep the project on schedule.”

For engineers, figures are the measure of progress. For local residents, however, simply seeing an excavator roaring beside a field or a recently acquired plot of farmland being leveled is enough to spark excitement: the project is alive, taking shape and reaching toward the future.

Hoang Nghia Quy, a resident of Group 34, Tan Phu Hamlet, Duc Trong Commune, pointed to the land his family had handed over for the road project and said with excitement: “My family handed over the land early. Recently, seeing machinery arrive at the construction site and workers working every day makes us very happy. After giving up our land, all we hope for is to see the expressway completed so this rural area can truly transform.”

It is a simple statement, but it embodies an entire vision of the future. For households that have given up land for the project, the road does more than pass through their property. It also carries hopes that their hometown will prosper once the infrastructure is completed.

That is why investment in expressways cannot be viewed solely from the perspective of building a transport route.

“Seed Capital” to Unlock Potential

Lam Dong needs expressways for more than simply shortening travel times. Their strategic significance lies in their ability to expand the province’s economic development space.

Infrastructure investment is not merely about building roads; it is also about activating new economic flows. As geographical distances shrink, logistics costs will fall significantly. Agricultural products will gain faster access to major consumption centers, international markets and seaports.

For investors, transport connectivity is always a key criterion when selecting an investment destination. The core value of public investment as “seed capital” does not lie in concrete structures or the number of kilometers of pavement, but in its ability to attract substantial private investment and provide the momentum for high-potential areas to take off.

Amid the emerging infrastructure network, alongside the Tan Phu - Lien Khuong Expressway, the province’s proposal for the Phan Thiet - Bao Loc Expressway, with an estimated total investment of VND 26 trillion, is also part of Lam Dong’s vision for expanding connectivity.

If transport routes are connected along east–west corridors, the highlands will gain new gateways to the South Central Coast and broader economic corridors. This is no longer simply the story of a single road. It is about Lam Dong’s position within a new development space.

Similarly, the Nha Trang - Da Lat Expressway, part of the Nha Trang - Lien Khuong Expressway route, is currently at the stage of completing its pre-feasibility study report and seeking approval for its investment policy. The project is expected to create numerous opportunities for breakthroughs in socio-economic development and investment attraction.

This is the core value of public investment as “seed capital”: using infrastructure to pave the way, build confidence and attract private capital.

Activating a New Development Space

Under its planning framework, Lam Dong is shaping its future around a green industrial model, prioritizing high-tech agriculture and clean food processing, with a vision of developing 47 industrial parks covering more than 27,300 hectares.

Placed alongside the expressway projects taking shape, these figures are no longer dry or distant targets. Instead, they outline a promising picture: Lam Dong will make a strong transition from exporting raw agricultural products to deep processing, confidently attracting major investors and transforming raw materials into value-added products under brands capable of reaching global markets.

Transport infrastructure, industrial parks, logistics and processing technologies, when strategically connected, will create an entirely new value chain.

To turn these planning targets into reality, Lam Dong is demonstrating a strong commitment to action. Reaffirming its commitment to working alongside businesses, provincial leaders have repeatedly emphasized removing procedural and site-clearance bottlenecks and creating a solid foundation for strategic infrastructure projects to be completed as soon as possible.

Amid these historic days, the hectic activity at Lam Dong’s major construction sites reflects the pulse of an ambition to break through. Once these transport “arteries” are fully opened, Lam Dong will not only be able to bring its finest products to wider markets but also strengthen its position as an attractive destination ready to capture new waves of investment and accelerate development.

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Expressways are not merely transport projects; they are the backbone for opening up new economic development space. Seamless transport infrastructure will enable broader and more equitable integration into value chains and key economic corridors.

Nguyen Hong Hai, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee

Nguyen Nghia