Nguyen Huu Tín, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee met with agency officials this week to discuss major transport projects being built this year and the transport plan for next year.

At the meeting, Tín asked the Transport Department to identify the main projects that should receive investment.

He said the city would not be able to solve traffic congestion in the next 10 years if its investments in traffic project were done in a scattered way.

Tín told the Transport Department to complete construction on Beltway No 2 and step up investment in centripetal road projects.

Two routes on Beltway No 2 are not finished: National Highway No 1A—Nguyen Van Linh and Provincial Road No. 25B—Go Dua Intersection.

The department has assigned work on the National Highway No 1A— Nguyen Van Linh route under the BT (Build-Transfer) form to the Petroleum Infrastructure and Urban Investment Joint-Stock Company, according to deputy head Bui Xuan Cuong.

The Provincial Road No 25B—Go Dua Intersection is divided into small sections: Provincial Road No 25B—Rach Chiec 2 Bridge—Bình Thai Intersection—Linh Dong T-junction—Go Dua Intersection.

“The department must urge Phu My Construction and Investment Joint Stock Company to finish the Provincial Road No 25B-Raïch Chiec 2 Bridge section,” Tín said.

The deputy chairman gave the department authority to choose an executor for the construction of Rach Chiec 2 Bridge.

The department should also consider ways to use the land fund to finish building remaining sections of the beltway, Tín added.

Beltway No 2 will help drivers so they will not have to cross the city, and thus will lessen traffic jams, and the centripetal roads will help to re-arrange city traffic.

“Basic construction must be quickly finished to increase the land for transport,” Tín said. “The city has to strive to increase the land for transport by 1 per cent per year in order to have land for transport accounting for 10 per cent of the total area in the coming five years.”

Tín suggested that the department focus on centripetal roads: expanding Ha Noi Highway, National Highway No 13, Provincial Road No 10, Provincial Road No 10B, HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and National Highway No 50 in 2012.

According to Tín, in 2012 the city budget will spend money for the clearance of 4km of HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway crossing districts 2 and 9; and contribute VNÑ1 trillion in clearance for National Highway No 50 project.

Tín also suggested that the department consider projects to expand Luong Dinh Cua Street (the section from Tran Nao Street to HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway), and expand the road beneath Sai Gon Bridge which connects with Nguyen Van Huong Street in District 2.