ADB supports two key transportation projects in Ho Chi Minh City

According to the report, ADB will provide $ 540 million for the construction project of 11.3 km urban railway from Ben Thanh through the international airport of Tan Son Nhat to Tham Luong which is worth $ 1.4 billion and $ 636 million for the construction project of Ben Luc - Long Thanh Highway (about 3km away from Long Hau Industrial Park) which is 57km long and has total investment of $ 1.6 billion.

ADB said the urban railway of Ben Thanh-Tham Luong will be constructed in coordination with the other urban railway routes which are being developed in Ho Chi Minh and when completed, it will help to save 20% of travel time on this route and reduce 30% of traffic accidents. Estimating that this urban railway will transport about 213,000 passengers per day during the first year of operation in 2017, then rise to 300,000 passengers per day in 2020 and over 700,000 passengers per day in 2035. 

According to ADB, Ben Luc-Long Thanh Highway will help to further reduce traffic in downtown of Ho Chi Minh, and facilitate the transportation of goods through major ports in this city. When allowing traffic to move on this entire route in 2017, vehicles can avoid going through city center which helps to reduce 80% of travel time from the East to the West and 10% of traffic accidents. 

The announcement informed that the Japanese Government plans to provide 635 million dollars for the construction project of Ben Luc - Long Thanh Highway and Vietnamese Government will provide the remaining $ 337 million. Meanwhile, the other sponsors for the project of No. 2 urban railway of Ben Thanh - Tham Luong are KfW Bankengrupe ($ 313 million), European Investment Bank ($ 195 million) and Vietnamese Government ($ 326,5 million).