The estimated cost of the city’s first bus rapid transit system has been adjusted downward from $155,85 million to $143.6 million.
In the submission to the Prime Minister, the city People’s Committee proposed adjustment in schedule of the project in addition to proposal of cost cut. Explaining this , the municipal Department of Transport said that after listening to opinions from related agencies, it decided to propose these things for the project feasibility.
According to the Department, the first BRT line will satisfy all requirements of smart traffic. It will run along Vo Van Kiet and Mai Chi Tho boulevards through Districts Binh Chanh, Binh Tan, 6, 5, 1 and 2. It will start at the intersection An Lac in Binh Tan District and end at Rach Chiec station in District 2.
After the new Mien Tay (Western) bus station in Binh Chanh District is finished, the line will start at the bus station. For the first phase, 42 buses carrying over 60 passenger running on compressed natural gas will travel in the line at the speed of 60 kilometer an hour.
It will have 28 stops, two transfer stations on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Ham Nghi streets, one more Rach Chiec station , a 13,000-square-meter depot in the Thu Thiem urban area in District 2 and eight parking lots for private vehicles.
As per planning, six BRT routes will be built for HCMC including the 24-km line No. 2 from the new Mien Tay Coach Station to Phu My Bridge, the 19-km line No. 3 from An Suong intersection to the new Mien Tay Coach Station, the 14.5-km line No. 4 from Kha Van Can Street to Hoang Van Thu Park, the 8.7-km line No. 5 from Thoai Ngoc Hau Street to Nguyen Van Linh Street and the 8.5-km line No. 6 from Go Vap intersection to Tan Thoi Hiep station
