Increase in Vehicles Contributes to Traffic Jams: Official

Ho Chi Minh City is seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of vehicles in operation which is one of the main reasons for the plague of severe traffic jams in the past few days, said Mr. Tran Quang Phuong, Director of the HCMC Department of Transport and Public Works.

A traffic jam in Ho Chi Minh City

According to Mr. Phuong, there are currently 3.4 million vehicles in HCMC — 10 percent of which are cars — operating on the streets. Each year, the city sees an increase of 10 percent of the existing vehicles, which means approximately 100 additional cars and 1,000 motorbikes per day.

Moreover, the city’s narrow streets are also cramped with 700,000 motorbikes and 60,000 cars entering the city from other provinces.

To make the situation worse, many road-construction projects are operating behind schedule, forcing a large number of vehicles into narrowed roads and thus, traffic jams have become unavoidable.

Other factors, including the start of a new academic year and the sharp increase in public transportation means, have also put more pressure on the already-overcrowded streets.

Many proposals to ease traffic jams have been reviewed including possible road expansion, assigning more traffic police at intersections, developing a more effective traffic network, and raising public awareness of traffic safety. HCMC authorities are considering all proposals in order to determine the most effective measures to tackle this escalating issue.

However, as Traffic Police Commander Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Thinh said, the city will have to live with traffic jams for several years before any significant changes can be made. 

Related link:
Traffic Just Gets Worse and Worse

Source SGGP, Tuoi Tre – Compiled by Khanh Hong