Gridlock conditions began to form along Phu My Bridge, which crosses the Saigon River and connects District 2 and District 7, by around 9:00 am on Monday and persisted until 11:00 pm that night. According to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters’ observations, hundreds of trucks and cars were bumper to bumper and moving at a very slow pace. A driver reacts to the congestion on Phu My Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre Lines of vehicles formed at the foot of the bridge and snaked all the way back to the My Thuy roundabout near the entrance to the Cat Lai ferry wharf in District 2. Many drivers, exhausted and frustrated by the hours-long congestion, sat on the median strip or on the roofs of their vehicles. “We arrived at Phu My Bridge at 1:00 pm. It took us five hours to reach the tollgate on the other side,” said Huynh Van Nghia, a truck driver heading to the south-central province of Binh Thuan to receive goods. A truck driver buys snacks from a vendor while being stuck in the traffic jam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Meanwhile, Khue, a seasoned driver, was unsurprised, explaining that the route is notorious for traffic jams. “Some days I won’t make it home until midnight because of congestion on the bridge. I cannot take a detour at Thu Thiem Tunnel as I drive a five-ton truck,” he added. Traffic police officers were helpless to prevent the severe bottleneck. Vendors took the opportunity… [Read full story]
People heading back to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City following the New Year holiday have brought about severe congestion at the entrances to the two major cities. The three-day break lasted from Saturday last week to Monday this week, and most citizens have returned to their normal lives on Tuesday. Congestion plagued the routes leading to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Monday evening. The Ring Road 3 is filled with vehicles on January 1, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre In the Vietnamese capital, bottlenecks started to form at around 4:30 pm and lingered until 6:30 pm, with vehicles…... [read more]
The second branch of a major flyover in Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap District has opened to traffic, giving commuters hope that near-constant congestion in the area will begin to ease.The overpass route, connecting Nguyen Kiem and Hong Minh Giam Streets at the Nguyen Thai Son Roundabout in Go Vap District, was officially inaugurated on Thursday morning, the Urban Traffic Management Zone No. 3 under the municipal Department of Transport said.Construction on this second branch of the flyover, measuring 367.7 meters long and 13.5 meters wide, lasted two and a half months.The N-shaped overpass is designed to include three…... [read more]
People in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City took to the streets on Sunday evening to celebrate Christmas, causing bottlenecks on many routes. In the Vietnamese capital, streets leading to popular churches, shopping malls, and entertainment areas were overwhelmed with vehicles since 6:30 pm. Nguyen Trai Street in Thanh Xuan District was one example. The road was heavily congested since 7:00 pm as a large number of people flocked to the Vincom Mega Mall Royal City to enjoy the festive vibes. A serious traffic jam on Nguyen Trai Street in Hanoi at around 7:30 pm. Despite the relentless efforts of…... [read more]
Ho Chi Minh City is a driver of the national economy. After 5 years implementing the Politburo’s resolution on development direction and tasks until 2020, the city achieved an annual GDP growth of 9.6%, 1.6 times higher than the national growth, and per capita income of 5,122 USD, 2.3 times the national average. But the city is facing numerous challenges: traffic, flooding, health care, education, unstable labor, and a booming population. To address the problems, the government sees the need for better, more specific mechanisms. Nguyen Thi Mai Hoa is a National Assembly deputy for Dong Thap province: “Ho Chi Minh…... [read more]
New, modern and well-equipped buses have been deployed for three routes in Ho Chi Minh City in a bid to change local commuters’ bad impression of public transportation.These services are called ‘model bus routes,’ carrying hope that they will set an example for other bus operators to follow and revamp their own fleet, according to the city’s transport department.The revamped services are route No.3, from Ben Thanh to Thanh Loc, No.18 from Ben Thanh to Hiep Thanh Market, and No.33, from An Suong Bus Station to the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City campus.The No.3 bus currently has some 11,000…... [read more]
