The city will restrict vehicle movements on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street and nearby roads to serve the construction of ST7-Bay Hien Station and ST2-Tao Dan Station, both part of the 11.3-kilometer line linking Ben Thanh area in the city center and Tham Luong area in the northwest.

At the ST7-Bay Hien construction site in Tan Son Nhat Ward, vehicles from Truong Chinh Street can only turn right into Ly Thuong Kiet Street or left into Hoang Van Thu Street, not go straight across Cach Mang Thang Tam. Vehicles from Cach Mang Thang Tam must turn right into Hoang Van Thu.

At the ST2-Tao Dan construction site in Ben Thanh Ward, Cach Mang Thang Tam will become a one-way street for all vehicles from October 10, with traffic traveling from Nguyen Du Street toward Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.

An alternative route will run along Cach Mang Thang Tam - Nguyen Thi Minh Khai - Huyen Tran Cong Chua - Thu Khoa Huan - Le Thanh Ton - Pham Hong Thai - Cach Mang Thang Tam.

Nguyen Thi Minh Khai will also become one-way between Cong Quynh and Huyen Tran Cong Chua Streets.

Vehicles can instead travel from Truong Dinh to Vo Van Tan or Nguyen Dinh Chieu, then Cao Thang and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.

Suong Nguyet Anh and Bui Thi Xuan Streets will remain open to two-way traffic.

The latest changes follow restrictions introduced on August 13, when cars were banned from traveling along Cach Mang Thang Tam from Ly Thuong Kiet toward 3/2 Street to make way for construction at ST4-Hoa Hung, ST5-Le Thi Rieng and ST6- Pham Van Hai Stations. Buses remain allowed to operate in both directions.

Vu Van Vinh, head of Project Management Board No. 2 under the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways, or MAUR, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that construction of diaphragm walls is underway at five underground stations, namely Pham Van Bach, Le Thi Rieng, Hoa Hung, Pham Van Hai, and Ba Queo.

More traffic changes planned around Ben Thanh Station

At Ben Thanh Station, which is about 30 meters underground, contractors will soon fence off parts of Pham Hong Thai and Ham Nghi streets to build underground connections.

The traffic changes are set to begin in the second half of this month and will be adjusted flexibly to minimize disruptions.

Major roads around the station will remain open, while additional signs and signals are being installed to guide drivers through detours.

The city’s Department of Construction initially plans to issue a 90-day permit for construction fencing, with three construction fronts operating to meet the project’s schedule.

The construction fencing could remain in place until 2029.

Similar fencing and traffic changes are being introduced at other Metro Line 2 stations, with construction currently underway at Hoa Hung, Le Thi Rieng, Pham Van Hai, Bay Hien, and Pham Van Bach.

Metro expansion accelerates

At a press briefing on urban railway projects on October 2, Phan Cong Bang, head of MAUR, said the city plans to prioritize eight metro projects during 2026-30, with MAUR serving as the investor for four.

Three projects are expected to be submitted for approval and begin construction by the end of 2026, including the 32.8-kilometer Metro Line 1 extension from New Binh Duong City to Suoi Tien; the 35-kilometer Metro Line 2 section from Thu Dau Mot to Ho Chi Minh City; and the first phase of Metro Line 6 from Tan Son Nhat to Phu Huu.

Regarding the Ben Thanh-Tham Luong metro line, it includes 10 underground stations, one elevated station, and one depot, with a total investment of VND55.179 trillion (US$2.1 billion).

The project broke ground on January 15 this year and is set to be operational in late 2030.