HCMC mulls new pedestrian street for 2021, Hanoi expands its own

A HCMC street in District 1 might go pedestrian next year while Hanoi’s own walking streets will be expanded from Friday night.

HCMC’s Le Loi Street should be pedestrianized next year, Vu Anh Tuan from the Transport and Urban Consulting firm proposed Thursday at a meeting. The firm will oversee plans to expand HCMC’s walking streets to include Dong Khoi, Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Thai Van Lung and Thi Sach in District 1.

Turning the aforementioned streets into pedestrian zones would bring several economic benefits thanks to their high population density, which facilitates consumer spending, according to the firm.

Le Loi should be prioritized since it suffers less traffic congestion and poses fewer risks, it was added. During its trial phase, the firm would collect data to analyze how exactly turning Le Loi into a walking street would be advantageous and beneficial.

Dong Khoi is expected to go pedestrian within 2022-2023, while the rest would follow suit during 2024-2025.

Once completed, the five walking streets would be 10 kilometers long and cover around 300 hectares. The entire project would cost around VND74 billion ($3.2 million).

HCMC currently has two walking streets on Nguyen Hue and Bui Vien and an area near Quang Trung Monument in District 10, the last opened in late November.

The Nguyen Hue pedestrian zone attracted around 3,300 daily visitors spending around VND2.3 billion on a weekday last year, according to a survey by Tuan’s firm. During the weekends, 6,600 visits were observed, with consumer spending at around VND12 billion a day. Nguyen Hue’s walking streets have helped businesses in the area increase their revenue by 50-70 percent from before. Land prices and rentals in the area increased by 20 percent just two weeks after the walking streets began operation.

Similarly, the Bui Vien walking streets last year received about 5,300 visitors per weekday, spending over VND2.8 billion on different services. During the weekends, there could be up to 7,100 visitors a day with consumer spending at over VND8 billion. Businesses in the area also saw their revenues increase by up to 50 percent.

Hanoi has a network of walking streets covering its Old Quarter and surrounding areas in Hoan Kiem District.

The walking streets starting Friday night will be expanded to cover Dinh Liet, Gia Ngu, Cau Go, Hang Be, Hang Dau, Hang Bac, Dao Duy Tu, O Quan Chuong, along with Cau Go, Trung Yen and Phat Loc alleys, Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee said Thursday.

The expanded walking streets would operate as a trial first, and would officially be launched starting January 1 next year, it added.

Expanded Hanoi walking streets would provide food and beverage, tourism, clothing and jewelry services. Cultural and historical sites in the area would also stay open during pedestrian hours, the committee said.

By Ha An & Vo Hai – VnExpress.net – December 25, 2020