The eastern 14.7-kilometer segment of Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 3 remains incomplete as of early July 2026, with many items paused and a substantial amount of work still to be done. The Ring Road 3 project spans more than 76 kilometers with an investment of over 75,300 billion VND and runs through Ho Chi Minh City, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Tây Ninh. Construction began in June 2023 and was originally targeted for completion in mid-2026.
Cause
- Delays stem from slow progress on numerous auxiliary items, despite some sections showing progress.
- Even where the deck is asphalted, many expansion joints remain under slow progress.
- In Package XL3, elevated spans over the Vinhomes Grand Park area have been connected and the deck surface asphalted, but other elements lag behind.
- The segment through Vinhomes Grand Park is the project’s only bright spot; from Vinhomes Grand Park toward the Tan Van intersection, spans of the elevated bridges have not been fully connected and adjacent roads under the bridges remain at the earthworks stage.
- In Package XL01, the elevated bridge route has been connected continuously, but access ramps are disordered and many items are not complete.
- Progress on the project’s branches has been slow, with relatively sparse on-site labor and machines compared with the remaining workload.
- In October 2025, the A head of the XL01 junction experienced structural movement near the elevated bridge linking to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thành – Dầu Giây Expressway interchange and Nhơn Trạch Bridge.
- The original plan aimed for completion by April 30 to synchronize with the operation of the 14.7-kilometer elevated section, but area observations show ongoing work in fits and starts.
- There is a risk of missing milestones due to unfinished items and uneven labor mobilization.
Development
Latest progress indicates total construction progress at about 78%. Component progress is reported as follows:
- Component 1 (through Ho Chi Minh City before consolidation): about 74.6%
- Component 3 (through Đồng Nai): about 69.1%
- Component 5 (through Bình Dương): about 64.3%
- Component 7 (through Tây Ninh): about 92.3%
In Package XL3, the elevated spans over Vinhomes Grand Park have been connected with the deck surface asphalted, forming a high overpass through the residential area. However, many auxiliary items have not advanced; although the deck is asphalted, expansion joints remain a bottleneck. The segment through Vinhomes Grand Park remains the project’s only bright spot, while spans from Vinhomes Grand Park toward the Tan Van intersection have not been fully connected and several adjacent roads under the bridges are at earthworks stage. In Package XL01, the elevated bridge route has been connected continuously, but access ramps remain disordered and many items are not complete.
Earlier, in October 2025, the A head of the XL01 junction experienced structural movement near the elevated bridge linking to key interchange infrastructure. The opening plan has two phases: by September 30, about 38.6 km of the main expressway is expected to be open (Component 1: 20.8 km; Component 3: 5 km; Component 5: 6.4 km; Component 7: 6.4 km). By December 30, the target is to complete about 70.4 km of the main expressway along with about 75 km of service roads and parallel roads.
Data and statistics
- Total length: over 76 kilometers
- Total investment: more than 75,300 billion VND
- Land clearance completed: 100%
- Construction value progress (latest): Component 1 about 78%; Component 5 about 70%
- Open targets:
- By September 30: about 38.6 km of the main expressway open (Component 1: 20.8 km; Component 3: 5 km; Component 5: 6.4 km; Component 7: 6.4 km)
- By December 30: about 70.4 km of the main expressway open with about 75 km of service roads and parallel roads
- Investment procedures: City is finalizing procedures for the Tan Van interchange, adding the Bình Goi Bridge, and preparing to invest in the Tan Van – Bình Chuẩn section
- Material and fuel cost volatility: authorities note price fluctuations but the city aims to complete the entire Ring Road 3 in 2026
Impact and planning
- Milestone risk: With many items unfinished and labor mobilization not in unison, there remains a risk of missing milestones.
- Contract pricing and extensions: The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has proposed that the City People’s Committee report to the Prime Minister to consider adjusting the contract price mechanism for construction in light of volatile material and fuel costs, to safeguard contractors’ rights and reflect accurate costs.
- Timeline adjustments: The department proposed allowing an extension of the implementation time for the project’s components to 2028 and settling accounts in 2029.
Analysis / Expert opinion
Officials say the project has completed 100% of land clearance. The city is finalizing investment procedures for the Tan Van interchange and related infrastructure, and remains committed to completing the Ring Road 3 in 2026 despite ongoing price fluctuations in materials and fuel.
