The question is not just about how many meters of road surface will be widened, but also the reorganization of urban space to avoid falling into the cycle of “widening roads only to face congestion again”.

Hanoi is considering the expansion of several key inner-city routes. The National Highway 1 axis (Le Duan – Giai Phong – Ngoc Hoi) is being researched to increase its cross-section to 90m; Ring Road 2, the Nga Tu So – Cau Giay section, is proposed for the construction of a viaduct with a center line coinciding with the planned low-level road, with a cross-section of about 53.5m for the lower road and 19m for the elevated road.

Meanwhile, Ring Road 1, the Hoang Cau – Voi Phuc section, is being accelerated after site clearance was completed.

These moves show that the city is no longer handling individual bottlenecks but is approaching the issue of reorganizing urban space on a larger scale.

Completing inner ring roads 

Associate Prof Dr Ho Anh Cuong, senior lecturer at the University of Transport and Communications, said the concepts of Ring Roads 1, 2, and 3 were introduced in the 1990s but remain incomplete and not fully connected.

“Completing the missing sections of Ring Road 1 (Hoang Cau – Voi Phuc) and Ring Road 2 (Nga Tu So – Cau Giay) is inevitable. This work should have been done long ago to ensure planning synchronization,” he said.

According to Cuong, ring roads are like the “major arteries” of an urban area. If they are clogged, the entire system is affected. Once cleared, they can effectively facilitate transfers between radial routes and suburban areas, easing pressure on hotspots such as Nga Tu So and the De La Thanh – Lang Ha corridor.

In reality, over many years, whenever a ring road section is completed or widened, traffic in surrounding areas improves significantly, at least in the short term.

However, Cuong warned that if road expansion is not placed within a comprehensive master plan with properly organized traffic flows, the city could easily fall into a “vicious cycle”: road expansion – population increase – growth in private vehicles – recurring congestion.

Transport cannot be separated from urban planning and land use. If construction density continues to increase along newly expanded routes and local planning adjustments lack a scientific basis, infrastructure will quickly become overloaded and traffic management will return to a reactive mode.

Space for public transport

Another transport planning expert said expanding infrastructure is only a necessary condition. The sufficient condition is reallocating space to prioritize pedestrian and bicycle access to public transport such as urban rail and buses.

“If Hanoi only adds lanes for cars and motorbikes without dedicating enough space for people to access buses, urban railways, transit parking lots, and safe access routes, it is very likely to repeat the lesson of wider roads but no reduction in congestion,” this expert pointed out.

Experiences in Paris or Seoul show that many cities once prioritized infrastructure for private cars, but later had to narrow car lanes and increase area for pedestrians and public transport because the number of vehicles grew too rapidly.

Space organized in multiple layers

According to experts, the issue is not just how many meters of road surface to expand, but in which direction to organize space: ground level, elevated, or underground.

With a city of over 10 million people like Hanoi, planning needs to be approached through a multi-layered structure. Besides expanding the ground level to improve accessibility to buses and transit points, the city must calculate elevated and underground options as long-term pillars.

For example, on the Ring Road 2 section from Nga Tu So to Cau Giay, the choice between a viaduct, going underground, or reorganizing the ground level needs consideration of cost-benefit, landscape impact, environment, and long-term connectivity. 

“Each choice has consequences lasting decades; decisions cannot be made solely based on immediate pressure,” the expert noted.

Underground planning is not just for urban railways but includes parking lots, technical infrastructure, water supply and drainage, and groundwater protection. This is the foundation for sustainable development.

According to experts, expanding inner-city roads is necessary. However, every infrastructure investment decision needs to be tightly linked with high-capacity public transport planning, especially the urban railway network. This aims to create a real shift from private vehicles to public transport, rather than just widening space for cars and then facing repeated congestion.

Vu Diep