With an allowed maximum speed of 120 kilometres per hour, the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway could cut the travel time between the two cities by about one hour compared with National Highway 5.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highlighted the importance of this project, along with the Hanoi-Ninh Binh, Hanoi-Lao Cai and Hanoi-Thai Nguyen Expressways, to modernising transport infrastructure in the northern region.
He noted that the motorway network would be even further improved with the scheduled completion of the 25 kilometres of an expressway from Hai Phong to Ha Long in June 2017 and the road connecting Tan Vu and the deep-water port of Lach Huyen.
Construction of the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway began in May 2008 at a total estimated cost of more than US$2 billion. The 33 metre wide road also has 54 bridges, nine grade-separated junctions and 108 underbridges for access to local traffic.
The expressway is also equipped with noise barriers, used for the first time in Vietnam, to prevent disturbance to residential areas it traverses.
With the full completion of the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway, Vietnam now has 710 kilometres of expressway, exceeding the initial goal for the 2010-2015 period by 100 kilometres.
Vietnam has set a target to build 2,000 kilometres of expressway by 2020.
