Currently, the Pham Van Dong road section from Binh Loi bridge to Nguyen Xi street is often crowded, especially during rush hour. The rapid increase in cars makes the traffic flow slow, posing a potential risk of prolonged congestion.
From this reality, many people have proposed allowing cars to circulate in the two-wheeled vehicle lane during off-peak hours (from 9am to 4pm and from 9pm to 6am the next morning) to reduce the load on the road.
However, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, two lanes are currently arranged next to the sidewalk on Binh Loi bridge, each lane 3.5 m wide, dedicated to two-wheeled vehicles. These two lanes are separated by a concrete median strip with a fixed structure to the bridge.
If allowing cars to drive into the two-wheeled vehicle lane as proposed, when an accident or incident occurs, cars may occupy the entire road, causing two-wheeled vehicles to have no way to circulate, posing a risk of serious congestion on the bridge.
To fundamentally solve the traffic problem, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction said that it has assigned the Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center to study and implement a project to renovate the median strip on Pham Van Dong street. The goal is to increase the road surface area for mixed vehicles, thereby improving vehicle exit capacity on both Binh Loi bridge and the entire route.
According to the plan being studied, the road section for mixed vehicles on Pham Van Dong route will be expanded from 7 m (equivalent to 2 lanes) to 10 m (3 lanes).
The project has now been capitalized and is expected to be implemented in 2026.
The reduction of the median strip is expected to improve traffic flow on the vital traffic axis, connecting the Northeast gateway with the central area of Ho Chi Minh City and Tan Son Nhat airport.
Pham Van Dong Avenue is more than 12 km long, starting from Linh Xuan intersection to Nguyen Thai Son roundabout, with a cross-section of 30 to 65 m with 6 - 12 lanes. This is considered one of the most beautiful and modern roads in the inner city of Ho Chi Minh City.
