VietNamNet Bridge – Trading on Nguyen Hue Boulevard in HCMC’s District 1 will be back to normal soon as the city’s authorities have asked Urban Traffic Management Unit No. 1 to complete the street’s upgrade project before February 10 next year, or a fortnight before the Lunar New Year.

An artist’s impression of Nguyen Hue pedestrian square - PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE HCMC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

HCMC Vice Chairman Nguyen Huu Tin on November 25 asked this agency under the HCMC Department of Transport, the owner of the project, to finish the construction soon so that traffic on the street will be resumed.

After the project is completed, an area covering the streets of Dong Khoi, Le Loi and Nguyen Hue will become a pedestrian-only square, wherein vehicular traffic is to be banned during certain hours, said Tin.

The city authorities also plan to develop five parking areas including four parking lots in Le Van Tam Park, September 23 Park, Trong Dong Outdoor Theater, Hoa Lu Stadium and an underground one in a section from Ton Duc Thang Street to Ba Son Shipyard.

Besides, the city’s vice chairman asked relevant agencies to make a plan for upgrading Bach Dang Wharf on the bank of the Saigon River with an aim to create an open space extending from the City Hall to the central square in Thu Thiem New Urban Area across the river.

Nguyen Hue Boulevard is envisaged being 670 meters long and 64 meters wide in harmony with the greenery area around the new President Ho Chi Minh statue in front of the City Hall.

The upgrade project requires total investment capital of VND428 billion for new road surface, sidewalks and pavements, infrastructure, fountains, an underground control center for lighting and musical water shows, and public restrooms.

City wants to speed up underground parking lot projects

* The HCMC government has called for faster construction of underground parking lots in preparation for Nguyen Hue pedestrian square expected for completion in April next year.

Due to slow construction pace of such projects, the municipal authorities last Thursday urged the Department of Transport to quickly address problems faced by the investors and set out supportive solutions to implement underground car park projects at Le Van Tam Park, Tao Dan Park and Hoa Lu Stadium as soon as possible.

Other projects at September 23 Park and under Ton Duc Thang Street should be reviewed comprehensively and reported to the competent agencies for solutions.

The transport department will also work with the authorities of District 1 to examine capacities of parking lots in trade centers, apartment and office buildings in District 1.

The HCMC government is concerned about the citizens’ rising demand for parking space when Nguyen Hue pedestrian square is put into service next year. Meanwhile, the city has yet to have any large-scale parking lot to meet such a demand.

However, some underground car park projects in the downtown area are moving at a snail’s pace now. For example, the project at Le Van Tam Park got off the ground in 2010 but has not been constructed until now due to complicated procedures.

Le Tuan, general director of Investment and Development for Underground Space Corporation (IUS), said work on the project at Le Van Tam Park is unlikely to kick off until the second quarter of next year due to some problems related to the build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract and technical design.

After the technical design is completed, the developer will submit it to the Ministry of Construction for consideration and then the HCMC Department of Construction for approval.

Earlier, the city government ordered not to build parking lots under Nguyen Hue and Ton Duc Thang streets to avoid traffic congestion in the city center. Instead, the city wants car parks to be constructed under Le Loi and Ham Nghi streets as well as Quach Thi Trang Roundabout.

SGT/VNN