Ho Chi Minh City plans to construct elevated roads along five major routes to help alleviate traffic jams and congestion.

At a press conference on Thursday afternoon to the discuss city’s economic and social situation, Hoang Phuc Dung, deputy head of road traffic infrastructure management and exploitation at the municipal Department of Transport, highlighted the benefits of constructing elevated roads.

Dung’s department is currently assessing a scheme to construct elevated roads along the National Highway 13 stretch from Binh Trieu Bridge to the border with Binh Duong Province and the National Highway 1 section from Kinh Duong Vuong Street to the border with Long An Province.

It also plans to build elevated roads along the National Highway 22 part from An Suong Intersection to Ring Road 3, the North-South axis from Nguyen Van Linh Avenue to the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, and the Binh Tien Bridge and Road from Pham Van Chi Street to Nguyen Van Linh.

These five routes are essential traffic arteries and gateways to the city, providing regional connectivity. 

Still, they face severe traffic congestion, whereas plans to upgrade and expand these routes are on hold due to insufficient public investment.

According to Dung, building elevated roads along these routes will help separate traffic flows, reduce congestion on ground-level roads, improve travel speeds, and decrease waiting times at intersections.

These elevated roads will also provide convenient and rapid connections between districts and the city center.

“Building elevated roads is an effective solution for reducing congestion and traffic jams in Ho Chi Minh City,” Dung asserted. 

Once completed, these projects will expand the city’s gateway traffic network, enhancing connections with provinces in the southeast and the Mekong Delta.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Dr. Vo Kim Cuong, former deputy chief architect of Ho Chi Minh City, expressed support for the city’s consideration of elevated roads to ease traffic congestion. 

“While site clearance for street expansion may be challenging and may not meet road width requirements, constructing an elevated road could increase the roadway’s capacity, ensuring sufficient lanes,” Cuong said. 

“For instance, site clearance for expanding Dinh Bo Linh and Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Streets poses significant challenges, so Ho Chi Minh City should evaluate the option of building elevated roads, which I believe is a more viable alternative.

“Construction of elevated roads is entirely feasible as it aligns with the city’s masterplan.”

He also emphasized the need for careful consideration of the design and its impact on residents along the route.

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