Ho Chi Minh City launched its first bicycle priority lane in late 12/2025, spanning nearly 6 km along both sides of Mai Chi Tho Boulevard. The lane, 1,5–2 m wide with a maximum speed of 20 km/h, is a pilot model aimed at promoting green transport, enhancing safety for cyclists, and integrating with bus and metro networks.

However, within the first week of operation, the bicycle lane was frequently encroached upon by motorbikes. As the lane is not completely separated, motorbikes are not strictly prohibited in many sections, leading to high traffic density and compromising the priority lane's function, posing safety risks for both vehicle types.

A cyclist rides on the sidewalk while the priority lane is "flooded" with motorbikes. Photo: Dinh Van

Dr. Pham Viet Thuan, director of the Institute for Economics of Natural Resources and Environment in Ho Chi Minh City, attributes this situation to the unique characteristics of urban traffic. Motorbikes account for a dominant proportion of vehicles, while many roads are narrow and sidewalks are frequently encroached upon.

Despite Mai Chi Tho being one of the city's largest arteries, the bicycle lane is not entirely separated. In some sections, such as over bridges and at intersections, the lane shares road space with motorbikes and oto, marked only by painted lines. During peak hours, when traffic volume is high and the road narrows, lane encroachment becomes a common issue.

"Many people habitually encroach on lanes or mount sidewalks during congestion, not to mention that many have not adapted to this new model," Thuan noted.

Motorbikes drive into the bicycle lane, morning of 6/1. Video: Dinh Van

From an infrastructure utilization perspective, Nguyen Nhut Quang, director of a technology company specializing in traffic measurement, expressed concerns about the feasibility of Ho Chi Minh City's bicycle priority lane pilot. While green transport development is essential, he believes policies must serve the majority. Prioritizing bicycles, which currently constitute a small percentage of vehicles, is difficult.

Quang explained that Ho Chi Minh City lacks many large arterial roads, and existing road space must be shared among various transport modes and infrastructure elements, including motorbikes, oto, buses, pedestrians, parking areas, greenery, and technical infrastructure. With motorbikes accounting for approximately 80-85% of daily trips, allocating 1,5-2 m of road width for bicycle lanes means reducing space for the primary mode of transport, leading to overloaded remaining lanes and increased congestion risk.

A cyclist on the priority lane. Photo: Quynh Tran

Citing international experiences, Quang stated that a single model cannot be applied to all cities. In Trung Quoc, the Netherlands, or Denmark, where bicycles comprise a significant proportion of traffic, dedicated lanes are effective due to sufficient demand. Conversely, in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan, bicycles typically share wide sidewalks with pedestrians in residential areas, parks, or along rivers, rather than occupying road space already under pressure from motor vehicles.

Quang also highlighted the widespread encroachment on sidewalks in Ho Chi Minh City, where businesses, parking lots, and street vendors occupy nearly all pedestrian space.

"In this context, if we want to encourage cycling, why not restore sidewalks to their proper function for both pedestrians and cyclists," he questioned. He suggested this approach would allow bicycles to "compete" directly against illegal encroachment, rather than sharing road space with motorbikes.

Contrary to this view, Le Trung Tinh, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Passenger Car and Tourism Transport Association, believes the bicycle lane should be viewed from a long-term perspective. Many global cities consider bicycles a solution for environmental protection, health improvement, and short-distance connections to public transport. Ho Chi Minh City aligns with this trend, and establishing priority lanes could encourage residents to change their commuting habits.

According to Tinh, motorbike encroachment in the initial days was unavoidable. This is the city's first implementation, and motorbike use remains prevalent. Furthermore, the bicycle lane is in a pilot phase and has not yet formed a continuous network, so its full effectiveness is not yet apparent. Once the An Phu interchange is completed, the lane is expected to extend along Mai Chi Tho, connecting directly to the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro station, thereby better supporting public transport.

However, to maximize effectiveness, Tinh suggests that if the city plans further expansion, it should prioritize new urban areas with more favorable infrastructure, rather than central areas with narrow roads, high traffic density, and frequent encroachment.

The bicycle priority lane has sections shared with motor vehicles and mostly runs on the sidewalk. Photo: Quynh Tran

Dr. Pham Viet Thuan stated that the bicycle priority lane has been in operation for a short period, making a comprehensive assessment of its effectiveness premature. In many countries, bicycles play a supportive role in accessing public transport, offering low investment costs and minimal space requirements. Therefore, the bicycle lane on Mai Chi Tho Boulevard can be seen as an initial step toward gradually forming a network and promoting environmentally friendly transport.

However, Thuan emphasized that a pilot does not mean maintaining the status quo. Instead, it requires continuous monitoring, review, and adjustment to suit traffic organization. As residents gradually adapt, motorbike encroachment may decrease, while the number of cyclists increases.

"The city needs to review conflict points, add signs, increase supervision, and enforce violations for the priority lane to fulfill its role," Thuan said, stressing that initial public awareness campaigns must be accompanied by sanctions to create a clear transformation.

Concurring, Doan Van Tan, director of the Urban Traffic Management and Operations Center (the investor), noted that many people are unfamiliar with the newly operational priority lane. Some sections are on mixed-use lanes, so motorbikes still enter out of habit during peak hours. The Center has collaborated with the traffic police and local authorities to enhance public awareness, reminders, and penalties. In the future, they will consider installing additional signs, cameras, and improving visibility to foster compliance.

Design of the bicycle priority lane on Mai Chi Tho Boulevard. Photo: Urban Traffic Management and Operations Center

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Binh, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police Department, stated that the bicycle lane on Mai Chi Tho Boulevard facilitates smoother and safer travel for cyclists. In the initial days of operation, traffic police primarily focused on public awareness and reminders, but still recorded many instances of motorbikes deliberately entering prohibited sections. In response, authorities increased patrols and issued fines for over 100 violations.

According to Binh, the traffic police are collaborating with relevant units to conduct a comprehensive assessment. This will inform adjustments to traffic organization to better suit actual conditions. Solutions under consideration include time-based traffic flow management and the addition of soft dividers in necessary locations to curb lane encroachment.

Giang Anh