Ho Chi Minh City faces increase in roadwork traffic jams

HCM City (VNA/VNS) - Traffic jams caused by roadworks in Ho Chi Minh City are
expected to continue as more roads are to be ripped up to upgrade the sewerage and
drainage systems and give access to clean water.

According to Tran Quang Phuong, Director of the city's Transport Department, more
than 76km of roads in the city will be dug up this year to improve the sewerage
and drainage systems.

Although this will cause difficulty for people using the streets and roads, it is
unavoidable if central business district flooding is to be solved, Phuong said.

In the first two months of the year, there were 57 traffic jams, half of them
caused by barriers and fences around drain maintenance sites, said Vo Van Van,
deputy head of the city's Road Traffic Policemen Department.

Also there is the problem of delays, where projects take months, even years and
the roads are often not restored smoothly, causing danger to road users, Van said.


The delays are in part due to initial plans and specifications not fitting the
situation, causing difficulties for contractors, said Luong Minh Phuc, an engineer
of East-West Highway Management Board.

To minimise inconvenience to road users, contractors need to hire traffic wardens
at roadworks sites and to inform the public 10 days in advance before erecting the
barriers to start work, Van said.

Also, lights visible for a long distance should be in operation at roadworks sites.

Contractors should take legal responsibility for accidents and deaths at roadworks
sites, Phuong said.

For its part, the department is looking at ways to speed up road construction
processes.-Enditen