HCMC Parking: A Need for Urgent Planning

HCMC Parking: A Need for Urgent Planning

The Transport Department of Ho Chi Minh City has recently prohibited the parking of cars on 44 central streets and motorbike parking on the pavements of 18 streets, on a trial basis. This has caused big problems for people who need to go to the city centre. It is time for a better plan.

Existing parking

Ho Chi Minh City centre has two parking lots: Lam Son Square and Ben Thanh Market. However, but they have only enough space for 80-100 cars. The new decision causes a big problem not only for cars but also for motorbikes, which have to sometimes spend 20 minutes finding a parking place. It also affects business activities in streets such as Le Loi, Nguyen Hue, Dong Khoi and Le Duan. A shop owner in Le Loi Avenue reported that since the prohibition of motorbike parking on the pavement, the number of clients have dropped sharply.

Temporary measures

Alongside the prohibition, the city set up parking free of charge in 20 streets and pay parking in 13 streets and on pavements on six others. Concerning motorbikes, the city established ordered parking on pavements, squares and parks. However, according to Mr. Thang, Deputy Head of the Traffic Management Board, Ho Chi Minh City, the designated parking areas only meet 80 per cent of the demand in the city centre and just 40-50 per cent on festive days. New solutions are therefore a must.

Long-term solutions

According to the “Traffic Planning of Ho Chi Minh City”, the total area for terminals and parking lots for all kinds of vehicles makes up 0.1 per cent of the inner city area (some 34 hectares with 33 lots). In 2020, it will need 100 lots covering 469 hectares constituting one per cent of the urban area. Consequently the local Transport Department is calling for investment into the field. However, Mr. Do Tien Luc, deputy head of the department said that investors are hesitant as the price of land in the city centre is too high. While capital can be recovered within 5-10 years in other investment areas, it could be 20-30 years until parking lots pay out to their investors. Furthermore, motorists may prefer parking in the streets than paying the parking fees.

Mr. Khuong Van Muoi, Vice-President of the Architect Association of the city believed that planning must be done immediately, investment by enterprises of all economic sectors must be encouraged and preferential treatment on land and taxes must be provided, otherwise the problem will continue endlessly.

Some investors have proposed underground parking in Lam Son Square, September 23 Park, Le Van Tam Park and on Nguyen Hue and Ton Duc Thang avenues. Indochina Group has proposed three automatic underground parking areas but the projects still waiting for suitable policy reforms.

Proposed Underground Parking Projects

1.     Hyder CDC joint venture proposed a BOT project under Le Van Tam Park with a carwash service, supermarket and three-level parking area for 1,250 cars and 1,450 motorbikes.

2.     Grand Imperial Saigon Hotel proposed three-level underground parking in Lam Son Square for 204 cars with a commercial centre above. As the proposal was rejected by the city, the investor has changed its plan to incorporate a park above the parking lot.

3.     Lam Son square, Indochina Group plans to invest in an automatic underground parking over a minimum area with maximum number of cars.

4.     The automatic parking project under the city’s Opera House has space for six-level parking over an area of 1,725sq m. The investor also proposed two other suitable locations: September 23 Park (1,725sq m and six-level parking) and Nguyen Hue Avenue (1,280sq m and six-level parking).

5.     Underground parking for motorbikes in Ton Duc Thang Avenue (5,000sq m and two-level parking for 6,700 motorbikes). The construction time is estimated at two years.

6.   The Saigon Traffic Management Company plans to build a multi-level underground parking lot in Tao Dan Park.