Expansion to Hanoi’s pedestrian area proposed

Authorities of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem District have proposed expansion for a number of pedestrianised streets and increasing the amount of time streets which are closed to traffic during summer time.

Pedestrians walking on Dinh Tien Hoang Str., Hoan Kiem district (photo: P.Y)

At a recent meeting to review the 10-months since some streets were pedestrianised, Hoan Kiem District authorities sought permission from the people’s committee to expand the pedestrianised area on Dinh Liet and Cau Go streets and some streets in the south of the Hanoi Old Quarter, including Hang Bac and Hang Be, Gia Ngu.
District authorities also wanted to extend the time which those streets are closed to road traffic on Friday and Sunday evening between April 30 and August 31, so that tourists can have more time to explore night activities. Accordingly, the proposed schedule is from 6 am to 2 am the following day, instead of the current time frame of 7 pm to midnight.

Hanoi also plans to turn Nguyen Quy Duc Street in Thanh Xuan District into another pedestrian street and more walking streets are also planned in Tay Ho District. Municipal authorities hope that pedestrian streets could become a tourism selling point of Hanoi.