VietNamNet Bridge – The rapid increase in the human and vehicle population has worsened traffic congestion in HCM City.

Traffic congestion on Sai Gon Bridge in HCM City's Binh Thanh District. The city's chronic traffic problems have worsened as vehicle ownership has increased. (Photo: VNS)

The failure to develop and upgrade infrastructure in good time to meet transport needs is the main reason for the congestion.

Binh Tan District offers the best example of traffic jams spreading to suburban areas.

Bon Xa Crossroads at the junction of six major roads in Tan Phu and Binh Tan is the worst affected by traffic in the suburbs.

A large number of vehicles, including many trucks, pass through to and from Highway 1A. To avoid paying the toll on Highway 1A, many trucks choose to go through Bon Xa Crossroads.

Thousands of vehicles went through it to avoid the toll, Ho Van Ngong, deputy head of the Binh Tan police, said.

But traffic jams could be prevented if a traffic circle or a flyover was built at Bon Xa Crossroads, he said.

Though more traffic lights had been installed at the junction, the situation had not improved because there was no roundabout and people jumped red lights, he said.

The encroachment on pavements by shops and hawkers and the small number of traffic police officers regulating the traffic were also causes for the congestion, he added.

In Binh Tan, Road 2, An Duong Vuong, Road 10, Dat Moi, Ho Van Long, and Tan Hoa Dong too are congested, blaming it on markets operating on the road and crowds congregating outside schools and hospitals.

The main reason for the worsening traffic situation was the rapid increase in population, Tran Minh Khiem, vice chairman of the local People's Committee, said.

The district now has more than 606,000 people, double its population in 2004 when it was still part of Binh Chanh District.

Its population has surged because of the large number of migrant workers in industrial zones and the 22,000 other businesses here.

There are around 152,000 motorbikes registered in Binh Tan while more than 200,000 others pass through every day.

"Since its bifurcation [from Binh Chanh], some 1,600 roads, streets, and alleys have been upgraded and widened at a cost of nearly VND5 trillion (almost US$244 million)," Khiem said.

"The spending has helped improve many traffic routes but the improvement has yet to meet the needs."

He admitted that a mere 13 traffic police officers managed the entire district.

Measures to resolve the problem had been undertaken, including clearing of markets on roads, installation of more traffic lights and upgrades to crossroads, the chairman of the People's Committee, Huynh Van Chinh said.

The district planned to build two flyovers above Highway 1A, and upgrade and extend Bon Xa Crossroads, he added.

* HCM City may limit motorbikes

Limiting the number of streets where motorbikes can travel in the inner city could ease traffic congestion in HCM City, experts have said.

At a seminar held on Wednesday by the city's Institute for Development Studies (HIDS), experts discussed ways to reduce traffic congestion.

Du Phuoc Tan, head of the institute's urban research and management division, said the poor quality of the bus transport system was not the major cause of congestion.

A survey conducted by the division found that the bus system ranked sixth among the causes for increased motorbike use in inner HCM City.

The poor management of motorbike licensing as well as the ease with which an individual can obtain a licence were the top two reasons contributing to the rising number of motorbikes on the road.

Dr. Pham Xuan Mai of the HCM City University of Technology said motorcycles accounted for 93 per cent of all vehicles travelling during rush hour. He said the rate of motorcycles should fall to below 50 per cent.

However, Vo Kim Cuong, the city's former deputy chief architect, proposed that the city instead should create favourable conditions for the transport of motorcycles, including construction of bridges and separate lanes for motorcycles.

Cuong said that automobiles should be limited in the inner city.

Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoa of the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, pointed out that motorcycles would remain the chief means of transport for another 10 to 15 years.

Motorbikes would continue to be used until there was a viable alternative, such as a metro or quality bus system.

Le Trung Tinh, head of the city Department of Transport's Road Transport Management Division, said the city should invest more in upgrading buses, lowering ticket prices and building separate lanes for buses.

To reduce traffic congestion as well as pollution, the city's Department of Transport has proposed that the city collect "environmental fees" from individuals who use their motorbikes in the city centre.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News