Saigon River nipa palm-shaped pedestrian bridge set to be joined on Oct 21

The Saigon River pedestrian bridge in downtowwn Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled to have its main arch joined on Oct. 21, following successful factory load tests on its 3,400-ton arch structure and supporting frame ahead of transportation to the installation site.

According to the investor, Nutifood Nutrition Food JSC (Nutifood), preparations are underway to tow the structure from Vung Tau to the city center.

The assembly comprises a main bridge structure weighing about 1,400 tonnes and a specialized steel supporting frame weighing around 2,000 tonnes. During testing, about 30 self-propelled modular transporters were used to lift the assembly 40 cm off the ground for technical inspections. Sensors and monitoring equipment recorded key parameters.

Workers are assembling the steel arch of a bridge that will span the Saigon River at the Bach Dang Wharf across Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, July 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Truong Ha

After 24 hours of load testing and displacement monitoring, the structure remained stable and met technical requirements, with measurements of deflection and stiffness consistent with design calculations, Nutifood said.

Transportation from Dong Xuyen Port in the former Ba Ria-Vung Tau area to the installation site is expected to take about two days.

The joining schedule remains subject to calculations based on hydrological conditions and the Saigon River's water level.

An artist's impression of the nipa palm-shaped pedestrian bridge across the Saigon River near the Ba Son Bridge. Photo by Chodai - Takashi Niwa Architects and Chodai Kisojiban Vietnam

The project, designed by Japanese-Vietnamese joint venture Chodai - Takashi Niwa Architects and Chodai Kisojiban Vietnam, has completed about 90% of its construction workload. Work at both ends of the approach bridge has been finished, while major components, including the bridge structure, staircases, elevators and pumping station, are largely complete.

Following the joining of the main span, construction will continue on the bridge deck, railings, landscaping and associated amenities.

Ground was broken for the project in late March 2025. The bridge is about 720 meters long, with total investment of nearly VND1 trillion (about US$38.5 million).

Its 187-m main span features a cable-stayed arch structure, while the steel-girder deck is six to 11 meters wide. The bridge provides a navigational clearance of 80 meters in width and 10 meters in height to accommodate waterway traffic on the Saigon River.

The location of a nipa palm-shaped pedestrian bridge planned across the Saigon River. Graphics by Hoang Khanh, Minh Nga