The HC1-02 underpass at the An Phú Interchange in HCM City officially opened to traffic on February 2. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh

HCM CITY — Authorities in HCM City on Monday opened the HC1-02 underpass, a key component of the An Phú Interchange project, helping ease congestion at the eastern gateway of the city.

The HC1-02 underpass connects Bà Dạt Bridge with Mai Chí Thọ Avenue within the An Phú Interchange area.

Designed with two directions and one lane in each direction, the underpass serves vehicles travelling between Mai Chí Thọ Avenue and the HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây Expressway.

The structure has a total length of more than 480 metres, including a 140m closed tunnel section made up of seven reinforced concrete box segments and a 340m open section with U-shaped segments.

It is equipped with lighting, drainage, pumping stations and safety barriers, and has a designed speed of 50 kilometres per hour.

Nguyễn Anh Minh, director of the city's Management Board for Traffic Works Construction and Investment, said the An Phú Interchange has a total investment of VNĐ3.4 trillion (US$130 million) from the State budget and is designed as a fully grade-separated, three-level interchange.

Located at a strategic transport gateway in the eastern part of the city, the interchange links major traffic axes such as Mai Chí Thọ Avenue, Lương Định Của Street, the expressway to Long Thành-Dầu Giây and routes connecting to the Cát Lái-Phú Hữu port area.

“For many years, this area has suffered from severe congestion, significantly affecting logistics activities, daily travel and the city’s competitiveness,” Minh said.

Vehicles travel through the new HC1-02 underpass opened on February in HCM City, linking the HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây Expressway with Mai Chí Thọ Avenue. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Linh

The project reflects the city’s determination to remove critical infrastructure bottlenecks and create a foundation for sustainable socio-economic development.

The opening of the HC1-02 underpass, together with the previously completed HC1-01 underpass, has formed a continuous traffic corridor between the city centre and the expressway, gradually maximising the overall efficiency of the An Phú Interchange.

Bringing the underpass into operation ahead of Lunar New Year 2026 is particularly meaningful, meeting the expectations of residents, businesses and the transport community during the year-end peak travel period, Minh noted.

Construction of the remaining components of the An Phú Interchange is continuing.

The city's Management Board for Traffic Works Construction and Investment pledged to maintain strong focus and determination to complete the project on schedule, ensuring quality and safety in line with the city’s development goals for the 2026-30 period. — VNS