Construction of Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong) has caused congestion on several roads in Ho Chi Minh City. The city is changing the number of lanes by time of day and strengthening traffic control.
At a press briefing on Ho Chi Minh City's socio-economic situation on October 15, a representative of the municipal Department of Construction said the authorities were implementing several measures to reduce congestion caused by construction of Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Tham Luong).
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the Metro Line 2 project is accelerating the relocation and restoration of technical infrastructure and installing barriers ahead of construction of underground stations. The occupation of part of the roadway has affected traffic in several areas, especially Truong Chinh Street, the Bay Hien intersection area and Cach Mang Thang Tam Street.
On Truong Chinh Street, between Tay Thanh Street and the Cong Hoa junction, barriers around the S10 underground station construction site have narrowed the road toward the city center from five lanes to about 3.5 lanes. This has caused prolonged congestion during the morning rush hour.
To address the problem, the city is removing the solid median and replacing it with traffic bollards or a movable divider. It is also adjusting the number of lanes according to actual traffic flow. From 6:00 to 9:00, 4.5 lanes will be arranged toward the city center. From 16:00 to 19:30, the direction toward An Suong will have four lanes. During off-peak hours, traffic police will adjust the lane allocation according to actual conditions.
Authorities have also recorded narrowed roads around the Bay Hien intersection and along sections of Cach Mang Thang Tam Street where construction barriers are present. Vehicles have to change lanes abruptly, increasing the risk of collisions.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction said the city would deploy more traffic police and youth volunteers at key intersections, add advance lane-direction signs and encourage vehicles to use alternative routes including Cong Hoa, Hoang Van Thu, Au Co and Lac Long Quan streets.
The project owner and contractor have also been asked to reduce the size of construction barriers, work by the principle of leaving each completed section tidy, and restore the road surface sooner after finishing each stage. Ho Chi Minh City is also increasing traffic monitoring through cameras and updating congestion information on information channels so residents can choose their routes in advance.
Sources: Dân Trí
