Ho Chi Minh City struggles to build bike-only lanes downtown

Nguyen Kien Giang, deputy head of the Traffic Works Maintenance and Operation Division under the city’s Construction Department, said at an Oct. 2 press briefing that while the city is piloting a bike lane on Mai Chi Tho Boulevard, expanding the model to the center remains difficult.

The pilot lane is to run 6 kilometers from Nguyen Co Thach to D1 Street, is 2 meters wide, and designed for speeds up to 20 km an hour. If proven effective in reducing motorbike use, it could be replicated elsewhere.

National standards require bike lanes to be at least 2.5 meters wide, either on sidewalks or roadways. But Giang noted that many downtown sidewalks, such as on Pham Ngu Lao, Ly Tu Trong and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia streets, are often used for parking or vending and cluttered with utility poles, cabinets and lamp posts, leaving less than the 1.5 meters needed for pedestrians.

The roads themselves are typically narrow and heavily congested, making it hard to add new lanes. Some right turns measure only 1–1.5 meters wide and already see frequent traffic conflicts.

"Roads are small, and if we create exclusive lanes, it may spark public backlash," Giang said, adding that careful planning and compliance with technical standards are essential.

Ho Chi Minh City has nearly 4,900 streets wider than 5 meters, but more than half lack sidewalks. Beyond Mai Chi Tho, officials once proposed bike and pedestrian lanes along Vo Nguyen Giap Boulevard, stretching almost 4 km from Rach Chiec Bridge to Saigon Bridge, using the strip of land between the main and service roads under the Ben Thanh–Suoi Tien metro line.

To promote green transport, the city also launched a public bike-sharing service in late 2021. The program has become popular, especially among young people.