Gridlock makes key HCMC traffic hub impassable during rush hour

One evening in mid-October vehicles stood bumper to bumper on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street in Binh Thanh District, particularly on the one-way stretch from the Hang Xanh intersection to the intersection near the Martyrs' Memorial, where there are several major roads like Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Dinh Bo Linh, Bach Dang, and Bui Huu Nghia.

Cars, buses and thousands of motorbikes moved inch by inch.

From the Hang Xanh intersection, vehicles traveling straight along Xo Viet Nghe Tinh frequently jostled with those turning left into Bach Dang, with drivers honking incessantly for passage.

Even after this area was cleared, the congestion persisted from Son Bridge to the D5 intersection as vehicles switched lanes to turn or cross the road to enter alleys.

Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street is a key road connecting the city center with National Highway 13 and Pham Van Dong Boulevard in the northeastern gateway.

The one-way section, spanning around one kilometer along Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, has been a notorious bottleneck for years, especially during rush hour. Dinh Bo Linh Street, parallel to it and running in the opposite direction towards Hang Xanh, also faces similar congestion, particularly during the morning rush.

Traffic gridlock at the Hang Xanh intersection on the night of Oct. 8, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Thanh Thao, 35, a resident of Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward in Thu Duc City, which borders Binh Thanh District, said she encounters "morning congestion on Dinh Bo Linh and evening traffic jams on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh" every day.

Her morning commute to District 1 takes her across Binh Trieu Bridge, along Dinh Bo Linh Street and through Hang Xanh Intersection.

In the evening she returns via Xo Viet Nghe Tinh to National Highway 13.

"On many days the traffic jams cause the commute to office take nearly two hours for a distance of less than 10 km."

For those working regular office hours like her, the two routes have become a daily nightmare.

Other routes between National Highway 13 and the city center, such as Ung Van Khiem - Nguyen Huu Canh and Pham Van Dong Boulevard via Nguyen Xi - No Trang Long, are also packed.

Ung Van Khiem Street in particular sees heavy traffic from the city center during the evening rush hour, with vehicles often straying into opposite lanes, turning the two-way street into a one-way nightmare.

During peak hour intersections are gridlocked and worsened by sidewalk encroachments, street vendors and parked vehicles.

"Recently heavy rains during the evening rush hour have worsened the traffic jams," Nguyen Khanh, 38, a resident of Binh Thanh District, says.

He recalls how a downpour on the evening of Oct. 8 caused chaos around Hang Xanh, leaving thousands stranded for over two hours.

The Hang Xanh intersection, along with Xo Viet Nghe Tinh and Dinh Bo Linh streets, are among 24 traffic congestion hotspots in the city.

According to the municipal Department of Transport, these areas are categorized as "not showing signs of improvement."

In the first nine months of this year there were 615 traffic jams on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street near the intersection, and 588 at the Dinh Bo Linh - Bach Dang intersection.

Roads like Ung Van Khiem and Nguyen Gia Tri also get traffic far exceeding their designed capacity.

An ambulance stuck in a traffic jam on Dien Bien Phu Street near Hang Xanh intersection Oct. 8, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/An Khuong

A department official explained that travel demand in these areas has surged, placing immense pressure on existing roads, which have not been adequately upgraded.

In addition to being a gateway connecting the city center, the area gets large numbers of people leaving work every afternoon and students from the nearby HCMC University of Technology, University of Foreign Trade (Campus No.2) and HCMC University of Transport, the official said.

"Traffic density during peak hours is too high, and any incident or unfavorable weather, such as heavy rain, further exacerbates the gridlock."

An officer from the Hang Xanh Traffic Police Unit said traffic jams around the intersection have intensified recently.

Despite increased traffic control efforts on rainy days, the sheer volume of vehicles and drivers' tendency to cut lanes or run yellow lights have made things difficult, the officer said.

The police are collaborating with ward officers and community guards to keep traffic from entering jammed areas.

To ease traffic pressure in the area, the department plans to widen Dinh Bo Linh and Xo Viet Nghe Tinh streets by 2030.

The two-kilometer section of Xo Viet Nghe Tinh from Hang Xanh to the foot of Binh Trieu Bridge will be widened to 30 meters, with a rotary and underpass planned near the Martyrs' Memorial intersection.

The work is expected to cost around VND7 trillion (US$275.9 million).

Dinh Bo Linh Street is also slated for upgrades over a two-kilometer stretch, including widening to 25 meters and construction of a new six-lane Binh Trieu Bridge.

This is estimated to cost VND2.9 trillion.

A map of Hang Xanh intersection. Photo by GoogleMaps