Ho Chi Minh city planning first pedestrian-friendly streets

At the recent meeting of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Urban Planning and Architecture, officials proposed an innovative plan to transform some of the city’s busiest intersections into pedestrian-friendly areas. The first proposed zone is relatively small.

The trial area will connect Bui Vien, Tran Hung Dao, and the renowned "foreigners' avenue," Pham Ngu Lao. This area will be closed to traffic from Friday to Sunday nights as part of an initial trial. If this experiment successfully encourages local pedestrian habits, a subsequent phase will aim to permanently restrict motorized traffic from these streets.

Another area slated for transformation is around Ben Thanh Market, which is already known for its lively nightlife. The final and most extensive section will be bordered by Le Loi, Ton Duc Thang, Nguyen Hue, and Ham Nghi. In addition to the vibrant nightlife offered by Ho Chi Minh City's clubs, these walking streets, inspired by the success of Hanoi’s pedestrian areas, will also include street vendors selling local products to visitors.

However, there are concerns about the impact of this project since these locations consist of some of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. Unlike Hanoi’s walking street, which features narrow, historic streets adept at handling pedestrian trade, converting Ho Chi Minh’s broad thoroughfares into pedestrian-only pathways may present unique challenges. Officials have not announced specific opening dates for any of the three areas. This project is supported and funded in part by the Spanish government.