The plan was outlined in a directive issued by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, which tasked the city government with developing additional walking streets to form shared community spaces.
The city currently has two main pedestrian streets: Nguyen Hue pedestrian street and Bui Vien pedestrian street.
Opened in 2015, Nguyen Hue pedestrian street stretches more than 670 metres from the Ho Chi Minh City Hall to Ton Duc Thang Street. It serves as a major public space hosting cultural events and festivals that attract large numbers of residents and tourists.
Bui Vien pedestrian street, launched in 2017, lies in an area long known as the city’s “backpacker street”, with many bars, restaurants and nightlife venues popular with international visitors.
In 2022, the city’s transport department, now the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, drafted a plan to expand pedestrian areas in the city centre.
The initial phase proposed pedestrian streets around International Square and along several roads including Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Cong Xa Paris Street (from Le Duan to Nguyen Du), Le Loi Street (from Nguyen Hue to Quach Thi Trang Roundabout), Dong Khoi Street (from Nguyen Du to Le Loi), Phan Chu Trinh Street, and Phan Boi Chau Street.
The network would later extend to Lam Son Square and nearby streets such as Nguyen Thiep Street, Mac Thi Buoi Street and Ngo Duc Ke Street, linking areas between Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi.
Under the proposal, the city centre could also add a pedestrian corridor along Ham Nghi Street while restricting motor vehicles on Ton That Dam Street (between Ham Nghi and Huynh Thuc Khang), Thai Van Lung Street, and Thi Sach Street to prioritise pedestrians. However, the proposal has yet to be implemented.
The directive also calls for stricter management of events that occupy roads and pavements.
Authorities said frequent fairs and commercial events on Le Loi and Nguyen Hue streets have at times caused serious congestion and noise in the city centre.
The city government has ordered tighter oversight, stating that events on Nguyen Hue and Le Loi streets must follow an approved annual plan.
Nguyen Hue will remain the main venue for public activities, while events on Le Loi Street will require approval from the chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.
