Bike lanes have been built on pavements on some of Huế’s most congested streets to improve traffic safety. — Photo tuoitre.vn

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Huế City is the first locality in Việt Nam to build bicycle lanes on pavements, with the work being in its final stage.

They span the city’s main roads and run for over eight kilometres.

On congested streets such as Võ Nguyên Giáp and Tố Hữu, two lanes are being created.

Bike lanes have also been built each in the new An Vân Dương urban area and Phú Xuân Ward.

The bike lanes, around a metre wide, is painted green in the middle and yellow in the edges.

A bike lane in the An Vân Dương urban area. — Photo tuoitre.vn

Lê Thành Bắc, deputy head of the bike lane construction management, said creating bike lanes on pavements would improve traffic safety.

But some locals are unhappy with the new plan.

N.T.H. told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper it is not safe for pedestrians and cyclists to share the pavement.

Pavements are usually used to park motorbikes, meaning there is already little space for pedestrians to walk safely, and there would be even less if bike lanes are added, he said.

The work is part of a VNĐ1.7 trillion (US$66.976 million) plan to improve traffic infrastructure and reduce flooding.

It is also part of the Secondary Cities Development Project II (Green Cities) for three smaller cities, Hà Giang, Huế and Vĩnh Yên. VNS