Anh Quan
The bus line No. 39 running along Vo Van Kiet Highway is called rapid bus line but in fact it has not met standards of BRT – Photo: Anh Quan Luong Minh Phuc, head of the management board for construction and investment of urban traffic works in HCMC, said at the meeting introducing the Green Traffic Project held on Wednesday that the BRT line No. 1 would run along Vo Van Kiet Highway from the new Mien Tay Coach Station in Binh Chanh District to Cat Lai intersection in District 2.
The line’s investment is estimated at VND3.25 trillion, equivalent to some US$155 million. Official development assistance (ODA) loans account for US$142 and US$13.6 million sourced from local reciprocal capital.
Components of the project include a maintenance station in Thu Thiem, four terminals, two transshipments stations and 31 stops along the route. The BRT line No. 1 will use 30 buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG) friendly to the environment.
The project is scheduled for commencement next April and completion in mid-2018.
According to the HCMC Department of Transport, rapid bus’s advantages are low investment costs compared to metro lines, big seating capacity (200 seats each) and high speed of 40 kilometers per hour, doubling that of conventional buses thanks to separate lanes.
In addition to the line No. 1, HCMC is also studying five other BRT lines to improve the public passenger transport network.
BRT is being implemented in Hanoi, Danang and HCMC with sponsorship from the World Bank.
Under the previous planning, HCMC will build eight BRT lines. However, only six lines will be developed in accordance with the adjusted planning approved by the Prime Minister in April.
Currently, there is one bus line running from Ben Thanh to Mien Tay Coach Station along Vo Van Kiet Highway. Nevertheless, based on elements of BRT such as separated lanes and seating capacity of around 100 people, the line is not deemed BRT.
The five BRT lines which are being considered are the 24-km line No. 2 from the new Mien Tay Coach Station to Phu My Bridge, the 19-km line No. 3 from An Suong intersection to the new Mien Tay Coach Station, the 14.5-km line No. 4 from Kha Van Can Street to Hoang Van Thu Park, the 8.7-km line No. 5 from Thoai Ngoc Hau Street to Nguyen Van Linh Street and the 8.5-km line No. 6 from Go Vap intersection to Tan Thoi Hiep station.
Đăng ký: VietNam News