HCM City Faces Holiday Return Rush; Emergency Lanes Opened on Highways

As Vietnam approaches the end of the September 2nd holiday, a significant return rush to Ho Chi Minh City is underway, causing severe traffic congestion on major highways. Many citizens are returning from their hometowns to the southern metropolis. Vehicles from eastern and western provinces heading towards Ho Chi Minh City have increased considerably. On the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, a surge in traffic from Dong Nai, Phan Thiet, and Vung Tau has led to a backlog of approximately 3 kilometers near Long Thanh Bridge, extending towards the Long Phuoc toll station. The area around Long Thanh Bridge is a known bottleneck, frequently experiencing congestion and accidents during weekends, holidays, and Tet. One tourist bus driver reported that despite leaving early to avoid the peak rush on September 1st, his vehicle was stuck in a long queue near the junction with National Highway 51 in Dong Nai province. After crossing Long Thanh Bridge, traffic continued to be slow near the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 interchange, where vehicles from Ba Ria and Vung Tau also converged. As the afternoon progressed, traffic volume intensified. Authorities are intermittently closing and opening access points from National Highway 51 and guiding drivers onto National Highway 1 to ease the gridlock. On the western gateway, a substantial number of vehicles are returning from the Mekong Delta provinces. The Highway 7 Traffic Patrol and Control Team of the Traffic Police Department has deployed special motorcycles to escort vehicles through the emergency lane on the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway, helping to clear a roughly 40-kilometer stretch of congestion. This escort operation ran from 4:30 PM to 11:30 PM, covering the section from Than Cuu Nghia toll station to Cho Dem toll station, heading towards Ho Chi Minh City. Traffic police are urging drivers to comply with instructions, maintain safe distances, and avoid unnecessary lane changes. The practice of police escorting vehicles in emergency lanes on the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway has been implemented during previous holiday periods when traffic volume experienced sudden spikes. Source: VnExpress