VietNamNet Bridge – “I’ve told the Hanoi Department of Transportation to use mobile barriers at crossroads in the morning and remove them in the evening,” said Minister of Transportation Ho Nghia Dung.

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Dung said that in general, blocking crossroads in Hanoi is effective, and this measure can help to reduce gridlock and waiting time for traffic lights. He suggested that Hanoi collect citizens’ opinions before blocking any crossroad.

The Transportation Minister said blocking crossroads is also a traffic-reduction tactic applied in other countries, but added that such nations use mobile barriers to block crossroads at certain times of day.

As of April 2009, the Hanoi Department of Transportation used barriers to block all crossroads in Hanoi and opened new branching roads around 100-200m from crossroads. This plan cost the city 27 billion dong ($1.5 million) and stirred controversy among the public.

This method seems to be effective at crossroads which have wide separation lines. Several days ago, the Transportation department removed barriers at some crossroads.

On June 15, Hanoi’s chairman Nguyen The Thao told the Hanoi Traffic Police Department to keep an eye at crossroads where barriers were removed to resume barriers or completely remove barriers, depending on the real situation.

National Assembly deputies recently questioned the Minister of Transportation about building barriers at crossroads in Hanoi at the ongoing National Assembly session.

PV