TP. Hồ Chí Minh: Tuyến đường ‘đau khổ’ đã thông thoáng hơn sau nâng cấp | VTV24

Key Concepts

• Infrastructure Rehabilitation: The process of repairing and upgrading severely damaged urban road networks.
• Flexible Budgetary Mechanism: A proactive administrative approach allowing the use of future maintenance budgets (2026) to address urgent infrastructure needs immediately.
• Logistical Arteries: Roads serving as critical conduits for heavy-duty transport, specifically those connecting to port facilities.
• Urban Resilience: The ability of infrastructure to withstand environmental stressors such as tidal flooding and heavy traffic loads.

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Infrastructure Transformation of Luu Trong Lu Street

The "Good Morning" program recently highlighted the successful rehabilitation of Luu Trong Lu Street in Tan Thuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Once colloquially dubbed the "road of suffering" due to its severe deterioration, the street has undergone significant upgrades to improve traffic flow and safety.

1. Pre-Upgrade Conditions and Challenges

• Physical State: Two months prior to the report, the road was characterized by deep potholes and severe surface degradation, even during the dry season.
• Environmental Factors: The area suffered from chronic flooding, exacerbated by tidal surges and rainfall, which further compromised the road structure.
• Traffic Impact: As a vital artery for port-bound logistics, the road experienced heavy congestion caused by thousands of container trucks and heavy vehicles. The poor road conditions frequently led to vehicle breakdowns, creating bottlenecks that spilled over into surrounding neighborhoods.

2. The "Groundbreaking" Administrative Approach

The project’s success is attributed to a shift in bureaucratic methodology:

• Flexible Budgeting: Ho Chi Minh City authorities authorized the use of the 2026 maintenance budget to fund immediate repairs.
• Procedural Efficiency: By prioritizing the physical repair and completing administrative procedures concurrently, the city significantly shortened the project timeline.
• Timeline: Emergency repairs commenced in late April, with initial sections completed by early May—a total turnaround time of less than two weeks for the primary surface restoration.

3. Scope of Work and Future Outlook

The project is not limited to simple asphalt patching; it encompasses a comprehensive urban renewal strategy:

• Surface Restoration: The immediate focus was on repaving the 500-meter stretch most affected by potholes to restore passability for heavy transport.
• Integrated Infrastructure: Future phases, scheduled for completion in the coming months, include the renovation of sidewalks and the repair of the drainage/water management system.
• Long-term Sustainability: The goal is to ensure the road remains functional regardless of weather conditions (rainy or dry seasons) or tidal fluctuations.

4. Stakeholder Perspectives

• Local Residents and Businesses: The community has expressed significant relief, noting that the improved road surface has eliminated the "nightmare" of daily transit.
• City Authorities: The response demonstrates a commitment to "timely response" to public feedback, utilizing the "Alo Chào Buổi Sáng" hotline as a bridge between citizen reports and municipal action.

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Synthesis and Conclusion

The transformation of Luu Trong Lu Street serves as a case study in responsive urban governance. By moving away from rigid, slow-moving procurement cycles and adopting a flexible budgetary framework, the city was able to resolve a critical logistical bottleneck in under two weeks. The project underscores the importance of integrating road surface upgrades with drainage and sidewalk improvements to ensure long-term resilience against environmental factors like tidal flooding. The ultimate objective is to transition the area from a high-risk "road of suffering" to a reliable, high-capacity transport corridor.