The first bus rapid transit (BRT) line of HCMC running along Vo Van Kiet and Mai Chi Tho avenues will begin construction next year and be up and running in late 2019, according to the HCMC Department of Transport.

An artist’s impression of a stop of HCMC’s first BRT line, which is expected to be up and running at the end of 2019

The municipal government is undertaking a slew of major traffic infrastructure projects like metro and BRT lines, said department director Bui Xuan Cuong at a meeting on BRT development on June 14.

The city will have eight metro and six BRT lines by 2050, which are projected to meet around 30% of commuting demand, according to the city’s master zoning plan for transport development.

Building BRT Line No.1 along Vo Van Kiet and Mai Chi Tho roads is now the first priority of the city’s transport sector as it is highly expected to restrict the use of private vehicles, mostly motorcycles, and reduce traffic congestion.

The 23-kilometer BRT route will connect An Lac Roundabout and Rach Chiec Terminal, and have two lanes, 17 pedestrian bridges (11 newly built and six upgraded), 28 stops, and eight parking lots.

The project will require an estimated US$143 million, with around US$123 million coming from the World Bank and the remainder from the city’s budget.

It is scheduled to get off the ground in August next year, and be in service in December 2019, according to a source from the department.

When in place, the BRT line could serve 10,000 passengers a day in the first year, and 20,000 a year in the following five to ten years. 

The transport time for buses on the route will be shortened to about 25 minutes at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour compared to those travelling on normal roads.

SGT