The upgrading and expansion of a 13.5 km section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway began on Sept. 6.

Over 437 billion VND (about 24 million USD) will be spent on the sub-project, which is part of the second phase of Ho Chi Minh Highway project.

This section, lies to the south of Buon Ma Thuot city, is expected to be completed by 2011. Construction Company 470 of the National Defence Ministry won the bid for the sub-project.

work began last year on another sub-project to upgrade and expand a 10.6 km section of the road north of Buon Ma Thuot City, which cost over 400 billion VND (22 million USD) to complete.

The 3,167–km Ho Chi Minh Highway runs from the north to the south of Vietnam , west of National Road 1A. The route roughly coincides with the Ho Chi Minh Trail from the American War.

It is now two-lane highway, which is being expanded to eight lanes; it will connect Cao Bang province by the border with China to southernmost Ca Mau province./.