Ho Chi Minh City Relocates/Fells 186 Trees for Ring Road 2 Overpass Construction

Ho Chi Minh City has completed the relocation and felling of approximately 186 trees along Pham Van Dong Boulevard to make way for the construction of a three-level interchange at the intersection of Ring Road 2 and the boulevard. This move is part of urban development projects aimed at easing traffic congestion. According to the Ho Chi Minh City's Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board (TCIP), among the trees affected by the Ring Road 2 project, about 45 have been transplanted and replanted. The remaining trees, deemed difficult to recover, were felled. This work is largely complete, clearing the site for the relocation of electricity, water, and telecommunication infrastructure before construction begins. Project stakeholders are also preparing plans for traffic management and diversions during the construction phase. The interchange is situated on the second section of Ring Road 2, at the junction of Pham Van Dong Boulevard, Kha Van Can Street, and Linh Dong Street. This section spans approximately 2.5 km, connecting Binh Thai intersection on Vo Nguyen Giap Street to Pham Van Dong Boulevard, with a total investment exceeding VND 4.5 trillion (approximately USD 180 million). Pham Van Dong Boulevard is a major arterial road in the northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, linking Tan Son Nhat International Airport with National Highway 1, National Highway 1K, and routes towards Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces. Given its high traffic volume, the intersection with Ring Road 2 is identified as a critical hub in the city's eastern traffic network. The planned interchange will feature a three-level design. The uppermost level will be the main bridge for Ring Road 2, with 6-8 lanes, divided into two branches crossing Pham Van Dong, Linh Dong, Kha Van Can, and Rach Ngang. Additionally, a two-lane bridge will accommodate right turns from Ring Road 2 onto Pham Van Dong towards Tan Son Nhat Airport. A two-lane underpass will be constructed beneath for traffic flowing from Pham Van Dong (towards the airport) making a left turn onto Ring Road 2 to access National Highway 1. The project site will eventually be widened to 67 meters. Initially, two parallel roads, each with three lanes, sidewalks, and technical infrastructure, will be built. A central median strip of 31 meters will be reserved for future expansion. Connecting to this section is the first section of Ring Road 2, spanning over 3.5 km from Phu Huu Bridge to Vo Nguyen Giap Street at the Binh Thai intersection, with an investment of approximately VND 9.328 trillion (around USD 375 million). This segment also includes parallel roads and a multi-level interchange at Binh Thai. Hochiminh City's Ring Road 2, planned to be about 64 km long and encircle the inner city, was conceived nearly 20 years ago, but only about 50 km have been completed so far. Besides the two ongoing sections, Section 3, stretching over 2.7 km from Pham Van Dong to Go Dua intersection, has been under construction for nearly a decade via a Build-Transfer (BT) contract but remains unfinished due to numerous issues. The city aims to complete all three sections by 2027, thereby closing the eastern loop of Ring Road 2. The remaining southern section, approximately 5.3 km long, connecting National Highway 1 to Nguyen Van Linh Street, has not yet been invested in.