According to the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR – the investor), as of April 29th, two of the nine pedestrian bridges connecting the elevated stations of Metro Line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien), the city’s first metro line, have been completed after nearly 5 months of construction. The construction cost is included in the project’s total investment capital.
Pedestrian bridge crossing the Hi-tech Park station, April 2024. Photo: Ha Giang |
The bridges are 80-150 m long, about 3.5 m wide, with a clearance height (from the ground to the bridge surface) of nearly 5 m, connecting from Vo Nguyen Giap – Ha Noi Highway to the mezzanine floor of the station. The bridges are designed similarly to elevated metro stations with steel roofs, heat-resistant roofing sheets, etc. Along both sides of the bridge, there are flower beds, green trees, and natural ventilation. Besides providing convenient access for passengers, the bridges also serve as emergency exits in case of an accident at the station.
According to the investor, in addition to the two completed bridges connecting Hi-tech Park and Binh Thai stations, the remaining 7 bridges along the line are also being deployed simultaneously. Three of them, connecting Rach Chiec, Phuoc Long, and Tan Cang stations, have completed beam erection and are expected to complete the remaining items such as architecture, electrical and mechanical systems, signs, and billboards in May.
 Route map of Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Line. Graphic: Khanh Hoang |
Regarding the remaining 4 bridges connecting Thao Dien, An Phu, Thu Duc, and National University stations, MAUR said it is coordinating with contractors and consultants to develop a detailed plan to accelerate progress. The units will focus on personnel, deploy construction teams in areas where land is available, and work day and night. The investor aims to complete the entire pedestrian bridge system by the fourth quarter, coinciding with the expected opening of Metro Line 1.
Metro Line 1 has a total investment of over VND 43,700 billion, a length of nearly 20 km, from Long Binh depot in Thu Duc City to Ben Thanh in District 1. The line has 11 elevated stations and three underground stations. The project is 98% complete and is currently in the phase of assessing system safety, accepting fire protection and prevention, training operating personnel, and building pedestrian bridges, etc.
Gia Minh
