Ho Chi Minh City authorities said on Saturday that the stone paving of a street section in the city’s downtown area has been complete. The street section is part of a construction project of the city’s first-ever pedestrian square.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City's Urban Traffic Management Zone No.1- investor of a project to upgrade Nguyen Hue street in District 1, the contractor has completed paving stones on Le Thanh Ton Street in the same area.

The street section spanning from Dong Khoi to Pasteur streets measures 220 meters and 14 meters in length and width respectively.

The total paved area is 3,080 m2.

Vehicles are still allowed on the street section after the paving.

According to the HCMC Urban Traffic Management Zone No.1, each of the stone cubes on Le Thanh Ton street is 8 centimeters thick, while those on the pavement are 6 centimeters in thickness.

The stone cubes are expected to have a lifespan of around one hundred years, it added.

The paving is part of a project under which Le Thanh Ton street and Nguyen Hue- another street in the downtown area- will be turned into the city’s first-ever square and pedestrian zone.

Hung Vuong Construction Co., Ltd. is building the square, which is estimated to cost nearly VND71.5 billion (US$3.38 million).

The construction work is expected to be completed prior to April 2015, to coincide with the completion of a monument to late President Ho Chi Minh in front of the city People’s Committee, and commemorate the 40th anniversary of the country’s Reunification Day (April 30.)

The square will feature two water fountains, one of which will be located at the intersection of Nguyen Hue and Mac Thi Buoi Streets, while the other will be at the Nguyen Hue-Le Loi crossroads.

The square will be connected with a future pedestrian bridge spanning the Saigon River and another square in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2.

The square is part of the second phase of a US$23.58 million project to upgrade Nguyen Hue Street, which began October 10, 2014.

The phase covers an area that is 670 meters long and 60.6 meters wide, bounded by Le Loi and Ton Duc Thang Streets, the city Department of Transport said earlier.

According to its design, the street’s existing roadway will be expanded to 27 meters in width and transformed into the above-mentioned square.

The phase is projected to cost about VND398 billion (US$18.75 million) and will be completed by April 15, 2015.