HCM CITY — Provincial highways No 9, 15 and 8 in HCM City’s Củ Chi District will be upgraded, widened and repaired with the aim of reducing traffic jams in the city’s northwest gateway.

The district’s People’s Committee has asked the city’s Department of Transport to speed up the projects.

The investor, the Urban Traffic Management No 3 unit, has been assigned the task of upgrading provincial Highway No. 9 under a 2019-21 investment plan.

The road will enhance connections between Long An Province, HCM City and Bình Dương Province and neighbouring areas, and will connect directly to the inland container depot (ICD) in Bình Mỹ Commune.

Ten bridges on Highway No. 9 will also be upgraded.

One of the largest beneficiaries of the project will be the Đông Nam Industrial Park in Củ Chi District, as well as other industrial parks in Hóc Môn District and Long An Province’s Đức Hòa and Đức Huệ districts.

Củ Chi District’s People’s Committee has also asked the Department of Transport to call for investment in provincial Highway No. 15, a main axis of the district and a radial axis of the city.

The road, which is 33 km long and 5.5-5.6 metres wide, has a high level of traffic density.

Previously, the city’s People’s Committee had assigned the district’s construction project management board to conduct research on investment plans for this road.

Because of the large investment of VNĐ3 trillion (US$128.6 million) needed, the city has included the road on a list of projects calling for investment.

While waiting for investors, the department has assigned the Urban Traffic Management No. 3 to repair and maintain a five-kilometre section of the road.                                                                                                                                                                                              The provincial Highway No. 8 is also facing high traffic pressure. The highway, which runs from Thầy Cai Bridge to provincial Highway No.9, is 22.5km long and 40m wide.

The large number of workers who pour onto the road during peak hours has led to traffic disorder.

Recently, the department and the district’s People’s Committee agreed to upgrade and widen an 8.8 km long section of the road.

Construction of the remaining 13.7 km section is expected to begin next year and be completed in 2020.

The district has also asked the Department of Transport to build traffic barriers on a section from Hà Duy Phiên Street to Bà Bếp Bridge; install traffic signals at Gate B of Đông Nam Industrial Park; and repair damaged areas of subsidence on Láng The Road.

In July, the Department of Transport approved a feasibility study on provincial Highway No. 7, with total investment of VNĐ368 billion ($15.8 million).

The highway will be eight kilometres long and 20m wide after completion in 2022.

This project will connect to provincial Highway No. 8 that runs through Long An Province, HCM City’s Củ Chi District and Bình Dương Province. — VNS