VietNamNet Bridge – Around 50 per cent of HCM City’s 22 pedestrian bridges are underused because of inconvenient locations and the typical habits of local residents, according to a report by Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourer) newspaper.

A pedestrian bridge on Pham Van Dong Street, though roofed and beautifully designed, has been abandoned by locals. — Photo courtesy of nld.com

Pedestrian bridges or footbridges have been built near hospitals, parks and big roads, and only eight are used regularly while others on Pham Van Dong and Vo Van Kiet streets have been abandoned by locals, the city’s Department of Transportation said. 

Many pedestrians risk their lives by crossing busy streets even though pedestrian bridges are located nearby.

Busy areas with footbridges include areas close to the HCM City Oncology Hospital on No Trang Long Street in Binh Thanh District, Tu Du Hospital on Cong Quynh Street in District 1, and Binh Dan Hospital on Dien Bien Phu Street in District 3.

“The bridge’s stairs are too steep and slippery. It’s inconvenient for the elderly and disabled,” Nguyen Thanh Trang from Binh Thanh District told the newspaper.

She said that many people gather at the pedestrian bridge outside the Oncology Hospital at night, and that demand for pedestrian bridges on other streets was high but no bridge had been built at those locations.

Research

Ha Ngoc Truong, vice chairman of the HCM City Association of Bridges, Roads, and Ports, said many areas have footbridges but others have none.

He said that authorities should take into consideration the real demand for such bridges even outside schools and hospitals, and design bridges suited to each place. For instance, bridges should be built so they connect to the inside of the hospital.

Pham Sanh, a traffic expert, agreed that lack of research had led to poor decisions on where to install bridges.

In addition to plans that could encourage locals to use footbridges, he said that bridges should be built in areas with a dense population or near busy malls and entertainment venues.

“The elderly and disabled should be able to use bridges, too!” he said, adding that regular bridge maintenance should also be considered.

The city’s Department of Transport said that bridge quality had been upgraded, with some being roofed and beautifully designed to attract locals at more sparsely populated areas like Vo Van Kiet and Pham Van Dong streets.

The department plans to enhance convenience and add connections by installing bus stops and street separators near pedestrian bridges.

Authorities also plan to improve security at pedestrian bridges, according to the department. 

Source: VNS