HCM City to deploy 70 traffic projects in 2019

The Department of Transportation of Ho Chi Minh City plans to deploy 70 traffic projects in 2019, in order to boost the implementation of programmes to reduce traffic congestion and accidents in the city.

HCM City will deploy multiple important traffic projects in 2019. (Photo for illustration)
HCM City will deploy multiple important traffic projects in 2019. (Photo for illustration)

Among the planned projects, there are 45 to upgrade and expand roads and 23 bridge construction projects.

The department will also coordinate with the related units to implement projects to build new inter-regional highways (Ben Luc - Nhon Trach - Long City), with a total length of 59 km and featuring 10 lanes, the Mai Chi Tho tunnel and Luong Dinh Cua overpass (District 2), and a three-floor intersection at Nguyen Van Linh - Nguyen Huu Tho intersection (District 7), parallel with HCM City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay highway, among other.

In addition to the upgrading and construction of new roads, the southern economic hub will also upgrade and build 23 new bridges, with the most in District 9 (six newly constructed bridges).

In 2019, the city will also focus on calling for more social resources to invest in the development of the transport infrastructure system, including calling for private investment in projects to improve National Highway 1 and National Highway 22. Since 2015, these projects have received great attention from enterprises in making investments in the BOT form.

Recently, HCM City People's Committee has assigned the Department of Transportation to study the investment plan of these projects in the form of BT. The department has proposed that the BOT investor of National Highway 1 for the 8.2 km section from An Lac to Long An province’s boundary be switched to BT form. Investors will consider the effectiveness of the investment plan to report to the City People's Committee for consideration.

Nguyen Van Tam, Deputy Director of HCM City Department of Transportation, said to implement PPP projects, including BOT and BT, the department needs the joint hands of the related departments and agencies. Therefore, in the future, HCM City will organise bidding for all projects implemented in BT form and hold auctions of land funds to pay for investors, in parallel with the establishment of research and investment funds for PPP investment projects.