HCM CITY — Authorities have called for more measures to reduce traffic congestion at HCM City’s Cát Lái Port, District 2 and 9.

The director of HCM City’s Department of Transport, Bùi Xuân Cường, said that stricter traffic regulations had been enforced around these hotspots, including An Phú Intersection, Mỹ Thuỷ Intersection, Nguyễn Thị Định and Đồng Văn Cống streets.

Collaboration between authorities and management units have also been enhanced, he said.

The department has instructed the Urban Traffic Management Centre No 2 to work with investors on a road construction project connecting Phú Hữu Port in an effort to reduce traffic pressure in the area.

The Việt Nam Maritime Administration has suggested regulating the flow of goods and shipping goods to Hiệp Phước Port instead of Cát Lái Port.

Ngô Hải Đường, head of the Department of Transport’s road infrastructure management and exploitation division, said that a substantial amount of goods shipped in and out of Cát Lái Port during the year-end period made it difficult to curb congestion.

Routes such as Võ Chí Công, Đồng Văn Cống and Nguyễn Thị Định in District 2 attract the highest volume of traffic.

Mỹ Thuỷ Intersection, which connects the three routes, encounters serious traffic congestion every day.

The transport department explained that while Võ Chí Công Street draws traffic from District 7 to Cát Lái Port and Phú Hữu Intersection, Đồng Văn Cống and Nguyễn Thị Định are the main routes linking District 9, Thủ Đức District and neighbouring areas to Cát Lái Port.

Traffic congestion also occurs on Mai Chí Thọ Street and Hà Nội Highway, it added.

Truck driver Nguyễn Văn Lành told Người Lao Động (Labourer) newspaper that his payment had been reduced due to fewer rides, resulting from repeated exposure to traffic congestion.

A representative of the HCM City Cargo Transportation Association added transport firms could save some billion đồng per day if traffic congestion was eliminated.

In addition to a high volume of traffic, traffic flowing from perpendicular directions and narrow distances between traffic lights have made it challenging for drivers.

Incomplete road infrastructure has also contributed to traffic congestion, with ongoing constructions of Kỳ Hà 3 Bridge, a flyover and tunnel crossing Belt Road No 2, Đường added.

According to the Department of Transport, the tunnel project will be completed in two weeks and the flyover before April 30.

Cát Lái Port handles 89 per cent of total goods in the south and 50 per cent in Việt Nam. — VNS