The city's Department of Construction said on August 7 that the traffic plan would apply throughout construction of the metro project, which is being developed by the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR).
Starting August 13, cars will be prohibited from traveling along Cach Mang Thang Tam Street - the section between Ly Thuong Kiet Street and 3 Thang 2 Street. Buses will remain permitted in both directions to ensure uninterrupted public transport services.
Vehicles affected by the restriction will be directed to alternative routes via Ly Thuong Kiet or Truong Chinh Street --> Hoang Van Thu --> Le Binh --> Hoang Sa --> Rach Bung Binh --> Ba Huyen Thanh Quan --> Vo Thi Sau --> 3 Thang 2.
Authorities have urged motorists to reduce speed when passing through construction zones and follow instructions from traffic regulators, police, and road signs to ensure safety and minimize disruption to the project.
The move comes as city officials intensify oversight of Metro Line 2. On the evening of August 6, HCMC Vice Chairman Hoang Nguyen Dinh inspected construction at Pham Van Bach Station (ST10), one of the project's key sites.
After reviewing progress, Mr. Hoang Nguyen Dinh praised the efforts of MAUR, consultants, and contractors, while calling for greater resources, efficient construction methods, strict quality and workplace safety standards, and proper environmental management.
The city will also work with relevant agencies to address bottlenecks, particularly those involving material transportation, disposal sites for excavated soil, and the deployment of additional foreign specialists. The goal is to keep the project on schedule and potentially bring forward its completion.
According to MAUR, Pham Van Bach and Le Thi Rieng stations are among the 11 stations on Metro Line 2 and are critical to the project's overall timeline. Contractors are currently installing reinforcement cages and constructing diaphragm walls at both sites.
At Pham Van Bach Station, steel cages are being lowered to depths of about 41 meters, while the diaphragm wall system will extend roughly 534 meters and be 1.2 meters thick. At Le Thi Rieng Station, cages are being lowered to about 47 meters, with diaphragm walls totaling around 486 meters in length and 1.2 meters in thickness.
Construction at both stations is broadly on track. Completing these works will allow tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) to be lowered underground and tunneling to begin.
Tunneling was originally scheduled to start in October 2027. However, MAUR and contractors are seeking ways to accelerate preparations by about two months, potentially bringing the start of TBM operations forward to August 2027.
