The new road will be four lanes and allow speeds of 80-100 kph.

The Prime Minister agreed to the project in March. Lai Chau Province will manage it.

Lai Chau needs $3.8 million for preparation. The province has no more money for this year.

The road starts at IC16 and goes through Lao Cai and Lai Chau to the border. The study will be done in 2026 and construction could start in 2028.

The two provinces met to plan the project. They chose their construction departments to lead the preparation.

Lai Chau is a remote province in northwest Vietnam. It has 497,000 people and shares a border with China.

The province has high mountains and narrow valleys. This makes the roads bad for trade and investment.

The area has potential for tourism, especially near Sa Pa. The new highway will help connect the northwest to Hanoi.