Saigon to close downtown streets this weekend for Reunification celebrations

By Huu Nguyen   April 27, 2018 | 05:15 pm PT
Saigon to close downtown streets this weekend for Reunification celebrations
Women walk on the sidewalk along Le Duan Street in Saigon. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran
There will be a firework show over the Saigon River Tunnel on Monday night.

Ho Chi Minh City has announced to close major streets in the downtown area between Sunday and Tuesday for activities to celebrate the end of the Vietnam War and the Labor Day, which will include exploding fireworks.

Vehicles will be banned from parts of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Streets from Le Van Sy Bridge to Tran Khanh Du Bridge through District 1, 3 and Phu Nhuan to make way for a traditional marathon run from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday.

The section of Le Duan between Pham Ngoc Thach and Pasteur corners in front of the Independence Palace will be closed to traffic between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday and from 5.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, the city’s transport department said.

A closing ceremony of the annual Ho Chi Minh Television cycling race will be held on the street section.

Between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, traffic will be blocked from Nguyen Hue walking street between Le Thanh Ton and Ton Duc Thang when the city authorities are planning to organize celebrations to mark the 43rd anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the 132th International Labor Day.

Between 8 p.m. on Monday and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, motorbikes will be banned from the Saigon River Tunnel, from Ky Con to the area of Thu Thiem Bridge on both sides. There will be a 15-minute firework show over the tunnel on Monday night. Road users are advised to take alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion. 

Vietnam’s largest city last year scrapped firework parties for its Reunification Day on April 30, following the Communist Party’s call for austerity but brought back the lights for the country’s National Day on September 2, to a lot of fanfare.

Reunification Day and Labor Day are public holidays in Vietnam.

 
 
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