HCMC closes downtown streets for Tet celebrations

The municipal transport department said the street closure is to ensure safety and reduce congestion, given the large number of people gathering downtown for events.

Fireworks explode in Ho Chi Minh City for New Year 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

From 7 p.m. on Friday until 1 a.m. on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, all vehicles will be banned on Le Loi Street from the Dong Khoi to Pasteur intersections, as well as on Nguyen Hue Street from Le Thanh Ton to Ton Duc Thang, and Dong Khoi Street from Mac Thi Buoi to Ton Duc Thang.

Ton Duc Thang Street will also be closed from Nguyen Sieu to Vo Van Kiet, and Nguyen Tat Thanh Street will be shut down from the Khanh Hoi Bridge to Hoang Dieu.

The same closures will be applied to Ham Nghi Street from Ho Tung Mau to Ton Duc Thang, and Hai Trieu, Huynh Thuc Khang and Ton That Thiep Streets from Ho Tung Mau to Nguyen Hue.

Nguyen Thiep Street will also be closed from Dong Khoi to Nguyen Hue, as will Ngo Duc Ke Street from Dong Khoi to Ho Tung Mau.

Lam Son Square from Hai Ba Trung to Dong Khoi, Dong Du Street from Hai Ba Trung to Nguyen Hue, and Mac Thi Buoi Street from Hai Ba Trung to Nguyen Hue will all be shut down as well.

Vehicles will also be banned on sections of Ngo Duc Ke, Ho Huan Nghiep, Phan Van Dat, Thi Sach around Me Linh Square, as well as on the Ba Son and Khanh Hoi bridges during the aforementioned hours.

Nguyen Hue Street is hosting HCMC’s biggest flower street with giant dragon mascots that have been drawing thousands of visitors every night. The flower street lies just next to a giant book street on Le Loi, and a traditional food venue in front of Ben Thanh Market.

The city will launch the firework shows for 15 minutes from midnight Saturday at 11 locations, including the beginning of the Saigon River Tunnel, the Ben Duoc martyr memorial site in Cu Chi District, Dam Sen Park in District 11, and the administrative center square of District 7.