Proposal for the Northwest Urban project of HCMC

Abstract

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is a vibrant hub of economic activity. The city's diverse job opportunities have attracted workers who come to both live and work. Housing demand has been steadily increasing every year, corresponding with the growth in the labor force. The cost of living in HCMC is high, at approximately 12.500.000 VND/person/month. The monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment outside the city center is around 7.500.000 VND, while inside the city center, it is about 12.600.000 VND [1]. Since the city's policy of promoting industrialization, many types of housing and residential projects have been planned and developed. It is evident that residential projects are being developed simultaneously with industrial parks in suburban areas of the city. An example of this is Binh Chanh, a rural area that has become a typical case of industrialization leading to successful urbanization. In just six years, from 1997- when the Tan Tao and Le Minh Xuan Industrial Park (IP) began operations - until 2003, part of Binh Chanh, with high urbanization indexes, was separated to establish Binh Tan District. However, not all projects have met expectations, such as the case of the Northwest urban area, which includes the Tan Phu Trung and Northwest Cu Chi IP. Several factors contribute to the challenges in urban planning in HCMC. This paper examines the urban traffic aspect in order to identify the factors that affect the planning and implementation of the Northwest Urban project.