2 central HCMC roads to become one-way from Oct 10 for metro construction

Ho Chi Minh City will implement widespread traffic adjustments starting Oct. 10 as sections of Cach Mang Thang Tam and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets become one-way to accommodate metro construction.

Vu Van Vinh, director of Project Management Board 2 under the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), noted that work on the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong section of Metro Line 2 is underway at five underground stations: Pham Van Bach, Le Thi Rieng, Hoa Hung, Pham Van Hai, and Ba Queo.

Construction at the Tao Dan and Bay Hien stations will also begin this month. To facilitate this, the municipal Department of Construction has approved a traffic management plan allowing contractors to install street barriers starting Oct. 10.

Commuters on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, September 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Anh

Under the plan, sections of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Cach Mang Thang Tam will be converted to one-way traffic. The roads serve as vital links connecting the city's northwestern gateways to the downtown, and are prone to rush-hour congestion.

On Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, a 350-m section between Nguyen Du and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai will carry traffic solely from Nguyen Du toward Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.

Drivers heading in the opposite direction must detour via Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Huyen Tran Cong Chua, Thu Khoa Huan, Le Thanh Ton, and Pham Hong Thai streets before reconnecting with Cach Mang Thang Tam.

A 1.5-km stretch of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai will become one-way from Cao Thang toward Huyen Tran Cong Chua.

Alternative routes for the opposite direction include taking Truong Dinh to Vo Van Tan, or following Nguyen Dinh Chieu to Cao Thang before returning to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.

To help ease the surrounding traffic flow, nearby Suong Nguyet Anh and Bui Thi Xuan streets near Tao Dan Station will allow two-way travel for all vehicles.

Sections (in red) of Cach Mang Thang Tam and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets in HCMC that are set to be converted from two-way to one-way traffic from Oct. 10, 2026. Graphic by Tam Thao

Vinh stated that the underground station construction will occur in five phases over more than three years. Contractors will widen temporary roadways and install barriers in stages, ensuring at least 7.5 m of roadway remains open for vehicles. Authorities will be on-site to regulate and redirect traffic to minimize gridlock.

Cach Mang Thang Tam previously restricted cars to one direction between the Bay Hien Intersection and Dan Chu Roundabout to facilitate work on the Le Thi Rieng Station.

Construction on the remaining three stations, Ben Thanh, Dan Chu, and Nguyen Hong Dao, is scheduled to begin later in 2026, with traffic management plans being finalized.

The Ben Thanh-Tham Luong section of Metro Line 2 broke ground on Jan. 15 with a total investment exceeding VND55 trillion (US$2.12 billion). The route spans nearly 11.3 km, including a 9.3-km underground stretch, and features 10 underground stations, one elevated station, and the Tham Luong depot.

The project is slated for completion in 2030, providing a seamless transit connection between central Ho Chi Minh City and its northwestern districts.