A section of Cách Mạng Tháng Tám Street near Tao Đàn Park has been widened by more than 10 m before part of the existing road is fenced off for metro construction.
According to a Dân trí correspondent, on October 12 workers removed the median barrier on Cách Mạng Tháng Tám Street, between Nguyễn Du and Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai near Tao Đàn Park, and arranged one-way traffic. Turns into Bùi Thị Xuân and Sương Nguyệt Anh streets were also closed.
A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR) said the area was fenced off to build the diaphragm wall of the underground Tao Đàn station on Metro Line 2, Bến Thành–Tham Lương.
During the first stage, which will last about 10 months, the left side of Cách Mạng Tháng Tám Street will be fenced off first to build one diaphragm wall. The contractor will then move the barriers to the other side and complete the opposite wall.
On the night of October 11, the contractor finished paving the temporary right-hand roadway for traffic. It has two motor-vehicle lanes, each 4.25 m wide, and a 2.2 m pedestrian shoulder.
On the left, the barriers were placed close to the facades of homes, leaving a lane about 2.4 m wide for motorbikes and pedestrians.
From early morning, officers from the Bến Thành traffic police team (PC08, Ho Chi Minh City Police) directed people along alternative routes at the Cách Mạng Tháng Tám–Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai intersection. The officers warned them not to enter the one-way road. A Dân trí correspondent observed light congestion on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street.
Youth volunteer forces were also deployed to help direct traffic. Road users were asked to monitor the situation, choose a suitable route and follow traffic rules when passing through the area.
On the morning of October 12, people commuting on the first day of the week also had to adjust to changes at the Bảy Hiền intersection. To build Bảy Hiền station, authorities banned vehicles from going straight from Trường Chinh Street to Cách Mạng Tháng Tám Street.
Traffic plans had previously been changed near Hòa Hưng, Lê Thị Riêng, Phạm Văn Hai, Bà Quẹo and Phạm Văn Bạch stations. Plans for Bến Thành, Dân Chủ and Nguyễn Hồng Đào stations are still being finalized for implementation this year.
Metro Line 2, Bến Thành–Tham Lương, will take about four years to build and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2030. During that period, traffic arrangements on Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, Trường Chinh and nearby roads will continue to change according to construction needs.
Sources: Dân Trí
