Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure: 11 Projects Broke Ground on 29 August 2026

On the morning of 29 August 2026, Ho Chi Minh City held a combined groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony for 11 major works worth VND 181,412 billion (roughly USD 6.9 billion) — its largest infrastructure push since the administrative merger.

This article does three things: it lists all 11 works with the capital figure for each, explains why VND 181,412 billion is not the amount of money entering construction sites right now, and sets out what a foreign buyer should — and should not — pay extra for.

The main ceremony was held at the Highway 13 upgrade site in Hiep Binh ward, with a video link to the Ma Lang – Cho Ga, Cho Gao urban renewal site in Cau Ong Lanh ward.

Counted the way the city presents it: eight works broke ground and three were inaugurated — eleven in total.

Graphic: Realtique · Data: VietnamNet, 29 August 2026

This is the part most easily misread. Adding up the published figures reaches VND 181,412 billion only when Ring Road 4 is counted at its full project value — roughly VND 120,413 billion for 207 km across 10 component projects spanning Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh.

But the part of Ring Road 4 that actually broke ground in this batch is two sections worth VND 14,008 billion. Substitute the two-section figure for the whole-route figure and the capital genuinely entering construction is about VND 74,700 billion — less than half the headline.

The same distinction — approved capital versus disbursed capital — runs through Ho Chi Minh City Urban Planning to 2030.

Graphic: Realtique · Data: VietnamNet, 29 August 2026 · totals calculated by Realtique

Highway 13 matters most to residential buyers. The 5.9 km stretch from Binh Trieu bridge to Vinh Binh bridge widens to 60 metres with 10–14 lanes, including 3.75 km of elevated viaduct. It is the direct artery between Ho Chi Minh City and Lai Thieu, Thuan An and Thu Dau Mot — the corridor carrying most of the new apartment supply in the former Binh Duong province.

Highway 1 widens a 9.62 km stretch from Kinh Duong Vuong to the Tay Ninh boundary to 10–12 lanes, with a new Binh Dien bridge and five grade-separated junctions. This is the western gateway, serving traffic from the Mekong Delta and the Binh Chanh – Tan Tao area.

Full detail on the BOT structure and the effect on Lai Thieu property: SkySOLIS Lai Thieu – A Foreign Buyer’s Guide.

Ring Road 4 runs about 207 km across 10 component projects, with preliminary total investment of VND 120,413 billion: nearly VND 29,688 billion from the central budget, over VND 40,093 billion from local budgets, and roughly VND 50,632 billion from private investors under PPP.

The two sections that broke ground on 29 August:

• Toc Tien – Chau Pha junction to Chau Duc bridge — VND 5,247 billion, in the former Ba Ria – Vung Tau area, oriented toward the Cai Mep – Thi Vai port cluster.
• Saigon River to Thay Cai canal — VND 8,761 billion, including the Phu Thuan bridge, in the city’s north-west.

The full route carries a stated completion target of Q2 2028 under current plans — a directional milestone that may be revised, particularly since the other eight component projects have not broken ground together.

The most telling item is the one missing from the list: the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh railway linking the city’s new centre to Long Thanh International Airport.

In mid-August this line was still described as the largest project in a list of 16 works planned for the 2 September batch (about VND 249,422.7 billion in total). By 28 August the list had shrunk to 9 groundbreakings plus 4 inaugurations and no longer included the line, the stated reason being that “preparation is not complete”. Before that, the project dossier was not yet eligible for approval and was under appraisal by the HCMC Department of Construction.

Background on the line and the interchange it feeds: What Is TOD? Thu Thiem Mega Station.

For overseas buyers, infrastructure news is usually the first way the market is encountered — and the easiest place to be led, because most of it is relayed by sales pages.

Three questions worth asking before paying a premium for “infrastructure location”:

• Which specific section started — not which project? Ring Road 4 has broken ground, but only 2 of its 10 component projects. Is the section near the apartment you are viewing one of those two?
• Is that a start date or a completion date? Highway 13 started in 2026 but is planned to open to traffic around late 2028 to early 2029. The usable benefit arrives at the later date, while the asking price usually already reflects the earlier one.
• Is the project on the list of developments foreigners may buy? This is a legal condition entirely independent of infrastructure. No amount of nearby roadworks makes an ineligible project sellable to a foreign buyer.

Eligibility, the 30% quota and the process: Can Foreigners Buy Property in Vietnam? and Vietnam’s 30% Foreign Ownership Quota Explained.

How many projects did Ho Chi Minh City start on 29 August 2026?
Eleven works in total — eight groundbreakings and three inaugurations — with combined investment of VND 181,412 billion. The ceremony was held on 29 August, ahead of the 2 September National Day, at the Highway 13 upgrade site.

What does the VND 181,412 billion figure include?
It sums the value of every project named at the ceremony, and counts Ring Road 4 at its full project scale of roughly VND 120,413 billion for 207 km across 10 component projects. Only two Ring Road 4 sections worth VND 14,008 billion actually broke ground, so the capital genuinely entering construction in this batch is about VND 74,700 billion.

Which Ring Road 4 sections broke ground?
The section from the Toc Tien – Chau Pha junction to Chau Duc bridge (VND 5,247 billion) and the section from the Saigon River to the Thay Cai canal (VND 8,761 billion), together VND 14,008 billion. The full Ring Road 4 is about 207 km with 10 component projects.

Did the Thu Thiem – Long Thanh airport railway break ground?
No. It was previously listed among 16 works planned for the 2 September batch but was removed, with the stated reason that preparation was not complete. The project dossier was not yet eligible for approval and remains under appraisal by the HCMC Department of Construction. No new start date has been announced.

How does this affect property prices?
The clearest effects are along two gateway corridors: Highway 13 toward Lai Thieu, Thuan An and Thu Dau Mot, and Highway 1 toward Binh Chanh and Tan Tao. However, planned opening dates fall in 2028–2029, so the value is likely to be priced in gradually. Check the specific section nearest a development rather than applying a whole-route capital figure.