[sustran] HCMC Highway

[Craig Townsend]

This news item was forwarded to me from VNForum:

Trans City Highway to Combat Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Woes

HANOI, Jan 7 Asia Pulse - In the latest measure to alleviate the traffic
that regularly slows Ho Chi Minh City cars to a crawl, municipal
authorities have announced a plan to build a 21.4km-long, east-west
highway. Officials said the Japan International Co-operation Bank (JICB)
had agreed to provide loans of more than Y67,055 million (US$664,000) for
the project, which has already been submitted to the Government for approval.

According to the Project Management Board (PMB), once approved, the work
will begin early this year and be completed in 2005.

The project will link National Highway 1 to Tran Van Kieu Street, Chuong
Duong Wharf, and the Thu Thiem Tunnel to be built under the Sai Gon River
and join up with the Hanoi Highway in District 2.

Dong-Tay Highway will be 21.4 km in length, making it the city's longest
interior road.

The VND1,037 billion first section will be 13.6 km long and six lanes wide,
running from Tran Van Kieu and Ham Tu streets to Chuong Duong Wharf. It
will begin at Binh Chanh District on National Highway 1 and end at Khanh
Hoi Bridge.

The VND3,010 billion Thu Thiem Tunnel will be 1.9km-long and have entrances
at Calmette Bridge and Ong Cay Bridge. Pedestrians and bicycles will be
prohibited in the six-lane tunnel.

The 5.9km-long third section will link Thu Thiem Tunnel to District 2 on Ha
Noi Highway.

PMB reports that about 5,214 houses will have to be demolished for the
project.

Under the same project, the city plans to upgrade five bridges and build
about 20 pedestrian walkways with the assistance of Japan's Overseas
Economic Co-operation Fund.

The city also plans to invest VND1,200 billion to build 15 new residential
areas with a total 6,153 apartments for relocation purposes.

The OECF has already sent a group of experts to Vietnam for a final
technical, environmental impact, and waste water treatment assessment.

VNA

________________________________________________
Craig Townsend
Institute for Sustainability & Technology Policy
Murdoch University
South Street, Murdoch
Perth, Western Australia 6150

tel: (61 8) 9360 6293
fax: (61 8) 9360 6421
email: townsend at central.murdoch.edu.au