The 8km section of Vo Van Kiet Street being repaired is the two-wheeled lane from Km4+900 to Km12+900, on the right side of the route from Tan Kien intersection to Saigon River tunnel.

Currently, this two-wheeled vehicle section consists of 2 lanes 3-3.5m and 2-2.5m wide, separated by a hard median strip with a continuous grass bed with an average width of 0.75m and a grass bed with trees about 2m wide.

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Inside the red frame is the median strip separating the two-wheeled vehicle lanes on Vo Van Kiet Avenue that will be removed to widen the motorbike lane to 7m, ensuring traffic safety and resolving congestion. Photo: TK

The Urban Traffic Management and Operation Center, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, is the unit managing Vo Van Kiet Avenue. It has implemented the renovation of the above road section and is expected to be completed by mid-September.

According to the Center's representative, currently, the traffic volume on the route is increasing, and the above lane arrangement causes congestion as well as collisions between vehicles.

Therefore, it is very necessary to renovate the median strip separating the two-wheeled lanes, adjusting the two-wheeled lane from two wide sections of the road as above to only one lane, with an average width of 7m, to be consistent throughout the route. This also increases the road's capacity, ensuring traffic safety.

Along with removing the median strip, the Center will relocate (uproot and replant) 48 trees including tamarind and ironwood; and cut down 188 old, poorly growing trees such as camphor and royal poinciana.

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Vo Van Kiet Avenue is the main artery of Ho Chi Minh City with the key economic provinces in the South. Photo: TK

Vo Van Kiet Street has a total length of more than 13km, stretching from the intersection between Ham Nghi Street and Ton Duc Thang Street, on the west bank of the Saigon River, District 1 to the National Highway 1 overpass, Binh Chanh District.

The 60m wide boulevard opened to traffic in 2009 is part of the East-West boulevard; a vital route, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the key economic provinces of the South.

Up to now, after 15 years of operation, traffic volume on the route has increased.

Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport and Long An Province have agreed on the policy of studying the extension of Vo Van Kiet Avenue from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Son - Tan Do Industrial Park (Duc Hoa District, Long An). When completed, this route will contribute to increasing regional connectivity, facilitating economic and social development in the two localities.

Ho Chi Minh City wants to extend the East-West axis to Long An province.

The extended Vo Van Kiet Street is 7 out of 23 locations connecting to Long An province that Ho Chi Minh City considers to be especially important and needs to consider prioritizing investment.