Friday, June 15, 2012

Hanoi to have two bus rapid transit routes | Look At Vietnam

Hanoi to have two bus rapid transit routes

June 14, 2012

LookAtVietnam – The construction of specialized roads for the first BRT (bus rapid transit) routes in Hanoi will be kicked off this July.

BRT buses in Guangzhou, China.

They are the Lang Ha-Giang Vo route, 17.4km, and Giai Phong, 10.9km. The first route will start from Giang Vo Street and end at Yen Nghia bus station in Ha Dong district. The second route will run from Van Dien town to Hoan Kiem Lake.
The two projects will be developed by the Hanoi Department of Transport, using loans from the World Bank (WB), aiming to solve traffic congestion in Hanoi.
Hanoi will also use the WB’s loans to build the belt road No. 2 of over 6km long, the Buoi roundabout, the extended Hoang Quoc Viet road, and Hoang Hoa Tham-Thuy Khue road.
The total capital for these projects is more than $452.42 million.
At a meeting on June 12, the WB’s representative said that the BRT projects were implemented slowly, with many changes in design and site clearance. After five years, only 15 percent of capital was disbursed.
Director of Hanoi Department of Transport, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, confirmed that the road and stations for the BRT route of from Giang Vo to Khuat Duy Tien.
Hung explained that the project ran slowly because of the change of Hanoi’s border, the change of related urban railway project, difficulties in site clearance, etc.
Hanoi’s Chair Nguyen The Thao said that Hanoi was determined to carry out this project as fast as it could, aiming to finalize the construction of road by the end of December 2012 and to inaugurate the first BRT route in early 2013.
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling. The goal of these systems is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings and flexibility of bus transit.
In Vietnam, BRT is considered an optimal means of public transport as it facilitates 80-seat buses running on reserved or prioritized lanes to ensure an exact timetable.

Thanh Tung

No comments:

Post a Comment

They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.