HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - HCM City should build an integrated elevatedroad system to tackle traffic congestion as land for transport in the innercity has become scarce, experts have urged.

While the metro system and other transport projects are still in progress, ringroads and elevated roads have almost been forgotten after 15 years of planning,experts said.

Under a plan approved by the Prime Minister, HCM Citywas expected to complete construction of a total of fiveelevated roads with length of 70.7km, which would beconnected in high traffic areas. However, since the planning in 2005,no elevated road has been built.

Elevatedroads and ring roads play a major role in easing traffic congestion as an innerelevated system creates a network connecting the city centre withairports, seaports and gateways. 

Dr. Tran Quang Thang, director of HCM City Institute of Economics andManagement, warned: “The longer the project is delayed, the higher thecosts of site clearance will become.”

Dr Vu Anh Tuan, director of the Viet Duc Transport Research Centre, saidthat priority should be given to elevated roads to deal with trafficgridlock. “Without an elevated road network, congestion will worsen eventhough the city has tried to expand existing road networks or build new urbanroads. Besides, expanding existing roads will result in high costsfor site clearance compensation.”

HCM City can learn from other major cities such asBangkok, Jakarta or Manila in building elevated roads. It isestimated that an elevated road system can improve average travel speedby 10-15 per cent, he said.

Prof. Ha Ngoc Truong, vice president of the HCM City Port and Bridge Association,said congestion is especially worse at intersections in big cities. 

“Building more flyovers and tunnels can only reduce pressure for a shorttime. For the long term, the construction of elevated roads is extremelyurgent but seems to be neglected. Without elevated roads, it is difficult forthe city to get rid of congestion,” he said.

Dr Vo Kim Cương, former chief architect of HCM City, said it was urgent tobuild elevated roads but the city must have attractive policies toencourage private investment to reduce the burden on the State budget. 

Dr. Tran Quang Thang, director of HCM City Institute of Economics andManagement, said that most investors want to exchange infrastructure for land,but the land fund of the city is limited. So it is difficult to callfor investment in elevated roads.

“The city needs to focus on urgent projects in traffic hotspots to resolvecongestion,” he noted.

Speaking at a recent meeting, Vo Van Hoan, vice chairman of the HCM CityPeople’s Committee, asked departments and agencies to draw up plans to buildelevated roads.

The works include those along Nhieu Loc Canal, Hanoi Highway and Vo Van KietBoulevard, and from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Binh Loi.

Hoan asked the departments of Planning and Investment, and Transport,and the HCM City Management Board of Investment and Construction of TrafficProjects to mobilise investment, mainly private, to execute traffic projects inthe city.

In 2016, the Transport Department planned to build an elevated highwayconnecting Tan Son Nhat International Airport with the city centre to easetraffic congestion on overloaded airport roads but the plan has notbeen implemented.

Many roads in the city have become more congested, including Nguyen Dinh Chieuand Tran Quoc Thao (District 3), Nguyen Thai Hoc (District 1) and Ben Van Don(District 4)./.