To celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the Vietnam Communist Party, to welcome the New Year of Tiger, and commemorate the 1000^th year of Thang Long – Hanoi, the Foreign Service Center – HCMC Department of External Relations took part in organizing the Open to Traffic Ceremony of the North-South Road Project (phase 2) of the part from Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard to Hiep Phuoc Port and Industrial Park. The No.4 Urban Transportation Management Authority, an affiliate of the Department of Transportation is the investor for this project.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Transportation Hồ Nghĩa Dũng, Chairman of HCMC People's Committee Lê Hoàng Quân, Standing Deputy Secretary of HCMC Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Đua, and leaders of the Government and Ho Chi Minh City.

There was only 2-lane Nguyen Huu Tho Street, which leads to the residential area of Hiep Phuoc Port from the center of Ho Chi Minh City and the areas of district 4 and 7. Therefore, the newly opened North – South Road Axis is considered as the “spine” for trading from the downtown to Hiep Phuoc Port – a gateway to the East Sea.

The new North – South Road Axis combines of 2 parts: one from Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard to Ba Chiem Bridge with 7.1 km length, 14.5 meters width, and the main part for traffic is 7 meter width. The other part from Ba Chiem Bridge to Hiep Phuoc Port is approximately 2.2 km length and the main part for traffic is 5 meter width.

The project invesment capital is up to 1,200 billion VND. This North – South Road Axis has 4 lanes. The road will be expanded to 6 lanes in the next phase to meet the demand of the transportation going in and out of Hiep Phuoc Port.