Breakthrough from the riverside route
The Saigon River is more than 256km long, originating from the highlands of Binh Phuoc (now part of Dong Nai province after the merger), flowing through Tay Ninh, Binh Duong before and then winding into the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. The section flowing through the city is about 80km long, likened to a "soft silk strip" to beautify the urban landscape, forming beautiful peninslands such as Thanh Da and Thu Thiem.
However, for many years, the space on both sides of the river has been developing disjointedly and unsynchronized.
Ho Chi Minh City is facing a great opportunity to create a "Saigon River miracle" - a new development axis, where infrastructure goes first, paving the way for riverside urban areas to break through.
The city has determined to invest in the construction of a road along the Saigon River with a total length of 78.2km, with a scale of 4 - 8 lanes, extending from Binh Khanh Commune (formerly Can Gio District) to the border of Tay Ninh Province. This route plays a role as a North-South axis, connecting the dynamic areas from Thu Duc City, Binh Duong (formerly) to the center of Ho Chi Minh City and Can Gio area.
This is a strategic traffic route, connecting a series of key axes such as Ring Roads 2, 3, 4, Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway, Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai, National Highway 13, National Highway 22 ... to help share traffic, reduce pressure on existing routes that are already overloaded.
In the immediate future, the city will deploy a section from Ba Son Bridge to Saigon Bridge, 1.95km long, 31 - 33m wide, with a scale of 6 lanes, with a total investment of about VND1,800 billion from the Ho Chi Minh City budget.
In addition, Ho Chi Minh City is also preparing to expand Nguyen Tat Thanh Street (from Khanh Hoi Bridge to Tan Thuan Bridge) - a 2km long, 30 - 40m wide section, with 6 - 8 lanes. The project has a total investment of about VND2,950 billion, including the construction of Hoang Dieu underpass (at least 4 lanes) and the construction of a new Tan Thuan 1 bridge. This route is an important part of the Saigon Riverside Road, connecting with future projects such as Thu Thiem 3 and 4 bridges, metro line 7, international passenger port.
At the same time, the Saigon River road through Binh Duong was previously being implemented, 98.2km long. When the two riverside routes are completed, an inter-regional urban - tourism - ecological development corridor will be formed, stretching from Dau Tieng Lake to Dong Nai River.
To increase connectivity, Ho Chi Minh City also plans a metro line from the center to Cu Chi, 48.7km long, starting from Mien Tay Bus Station, running through Vo Van Kiet, Ton Duc Thang, Ba Son, then continuing along the Saigon River road to Cu Chi.
The "backbone" of future urban areas
According to Dr. Science, Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son, for sustainable development, the city needs a comprehensive strategy, including protecting upstream water resources, green corridors along rivers and connecting rivers with Can Gio sea to expand international trade.
"There needs to be a smooth waterway transportation system, ports, wharves, and urban highlights are planned synchronously and harmoniously between development and conservation" - Mr. Son emphasized.
Mr. Son also proposed developing two parallel routes along the river: A riverside landscape route for pedestrians and bicycles - slow speed, connecting areas along the banks. The riverside Avenue is located 300 - 400m from the river edge, serving high-speed traffic, helping to connect satellite cities. Along with that, within a radius of 1,200m (about 15 minutes walking from the riverbank), it is necessary to review and preserve works of historical value, and at the same time renovate or rebuild degraded residential areas.
According to Architect Vo Kim Cuong - former Deputy Chief Architect of Ho Chi Minh City, it is proposed to build a public space along the river including a park, a walking path, a bicycle path, a square, a coffee shop, an art exhibition area - where people and tourists can immerse themselves in the urban life by the gentle water.
Along with that, the city should encourage the development of integrated urban areas - combining housing, commercial, and office - planned for decentralization, gradually reducing the height towards the riverbank (from 20m, 50m to 100m).
Waterway transport is also considered a "double lever", both reducing road pressure and promoting tourism. River buses and tourist boats could become a soft bloodline in urban transportation, similar to how Paris exploits the River River River.
In particular, the Saigon River also contains cultural and historical depth with heritages such as Nha Rong Wharf and Bach Dang Wharf. Ho Chi Minh City needs to honor these values, while building an identifying symbol for the Saigon River - similar to Paris' Eiffel Tower or London Eye in England.
