HCMC transport department seeks additional $2.9 bln to fix traffic congestion

In a proposal submitted to Ho Chi Minh City’s People Committee, the department said the city currently allocates over VND52 trillion toward the transport sector, which only meets about 19.8% of demand for investment projects.

With the proposed additional funding, the department plans to spend VND66.8 trillion on 61 road construction projects that help alleviate traffic jams, and VND1.7 trillion on two programs to increase public safety and prevent erosion.

The rest will be reserved for embankment construction, anti-erosion works and dredging of waterways.

For years, traffic jams have been a nightmare in the city of 13 million people.

Under a traffic infrastructure development plan for the 2021-2030 period, HCMC earlier planned to invest in about 454 kilometers of highways, belts, national highways, large bridges and main traffic axes with a total investment of about VND266 trillion from now until 2025.

The city would build and complete three expressways: one to link it with Moc Bai International Border Gate near Cambodia; HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway, a 55-kilometer-long (34 mile) route to connect the city with neighboring Dong Nai Province; and HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway that links it with Tien Giang Province and the rest of the Mekong Delta.

It will also focus on upgrading and completing five national highways alongside its second and third ring roads.