(Dan Tri) - The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport said it will review suitable intersection locations to arrange signs allowing right turns at red lights to relieve traffic pressure in recent days.
In the past few days, traffic jams have occurred on all roads in Ho Chi Minh City, especially in central areas such as the intersections of Hai Ba Trung, Dien Bien Phu, Ly Chinh Thang, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Vo Thi Sau...
Reporting to Dan Tri on the afternoon of January 9, Ms. Phan Thi Phuong Nhi (28 years old, living in Phu Nhuan district) said that she had just traveled from Phu Nhuan district to District 1 for work. However, with a distance of only about 5km, it took this woman more than 30 minutes to travel.
"I think everyone feels that traffic jams and congestion in Ho Chi Minh City are very common these days. In the afternoon, it takes almost double or triple the time to get home compared to before. When booking a ride-hailing service, you have to wait forever for a ride, almost for a long time," Ms. Nhi complained.
People wait for many traffic lights on Dien Bien Phu Street towards Binh Thanh District during rush hour (Photo: Thu Tran).
Nguyen Quyet Thang (33 years old, living in Tan Binh district), working in district 1, said that he often goes through the Hai Ba Trung - Vo Thi Sau intersection to go home. According to him, in the past, people were still allowed to turn right at the intersection when the light was red in the direction of Vo Thi Sau, from Tan Dinh market to Ben Thanh market.
However, in recent days, at both ends from Vo Thi Sau in the direction of Binh Thanh to District 1 and 3 and from Hai Ba Trung Street in the direction from Tan Dinh Market to Ben Thanh Market, vehicles are not allowed to turn right.
"The traffic jam from both directions is serious. We have to wait for several traffic lights to get through an intersection," said Mr. Thang.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Vinh, Director of the Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center (HCMC Department of Transport), said that the Department of Transport has grasped the situation. This unit is also reviewing and installing signs allowing vehicles to turn right at red lights on some suitable routes.
According to Mr. Vinh, the new regulation has high fines, people will comply better when stopping at red lights and limit right turns. However, this also leads to more congestion at some intersections.
Drivers wait in a long line on Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City at noon on January 9 (Photo: Thu Tran).
According to Decree 168, drivers of cars or similar vehicles will be fined VND18-20 million if they commit the following violations: not following traffic lights or signals, instructions of traffic controllers; driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street, driving in the wrong direction on a street with a "no entry" sign. In addition to the fine, violators will also have their driving license deducted 3 points.
This fine is three times higher than Decree 100 and Decree 123. Currently, drivers who run red lights or commit the above acts will be fined 4-6 million VND. Drivers will also have their driving licenses revoked for one to three months.
For motorcyclists, the fine for running a red light is 4-6 million VND (Decree 100 and Decree 123 is 800,000-1 million VND); driving in the wrong direction is 4-6 million VND (Decree 100 and Decree 123 is 1-2 million VND); weaving and swerving is 8-10 million VND (Decree 100 and Decree 123 is 6-8 million VND)...
Green light but cars cannot move on Tran Quoc Thao Street, District 3 (Photo: Thu Tran).
Ho Chi Minh City is managing more than 9.5 million vehicles of all kinds, including more than one million cars and nearly 8.5 million motorbikes. The traffic density in Ho Chi Minh City is 2.34 km/km² (according to regulations, it must reach 10-13.3 km/km²); the land area for traffic is 13.04% (according to regulations, it must reach 24-26%).
With the current growth rate of traffic, Ho Chi Minh City's traffic infrastructure is overloaded, exceeding its capacity.
In addition to traffic conflicts at intersections due to many people not daring to turn right at red lights, in recent days, many fire drills have been taking place in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Major roads have been restricted to vehicles for many days.
In addition, at the end of the year, the demand for travel, transportation of goods, and production of people and businesses increases. This also causes more congestion.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/ket-xe-keo-dai-o-nhieu-giao-lo-trung-tam-tphcm-20250109141926087.htm
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