Multimillion-dollar bridge leading to Diamond Islet opens in Ho Chi Minh City
Thursday, May 31, 2018, 17:48 GMT+7
A multimillion-dollar bridge in Ho Chi Minh City was inaugurated on Wednesday as part of the city's plan to reduce the volume of traffic on a nearby major road and facilitate access from District 2 to the downtown.
The three-kilometer-long, 22-meter-wide bridge spans the Giong Ong To River, a tributary to the Saigon River.
The structure connects District 2 with Dao Kim Cuong (Diamond Islet), the site of several luxury apartment buildings, along with exit ramps leading to a large uptown residential area closer to the city center.
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| The new bridge and high-rises in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, are seen from an aerial perspective on May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| The new bridge (deep blue) and the Diamond Islet (Red) are seen in this Google Maps screenshot. |
Before the bridge opened, Diamond Islet residents used Dong Van Cong Street in District 2 to commute to neighboring districts, causing frequent congestion.
The bridge, therefore, is expected to relieve the situation by serving as an alternate route during rush hours, an official said.
The structure cost VND347 billion (US$15 million) to build and was completed nearly two months behind schedule.
It has four lanes for motorized vehicles. Construction areas at its entrance had yet to be cleared by the opening day.
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| A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Men ride motorcycles on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| A car driving on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| A woman rides her motorcycle on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Motorcycles drive along the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| A car driving on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Motorcycles run on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Workers shoulder equipment on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Workers plant a tree at the foot of the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| A man takes pictures on the new bridge in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, May 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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