Government officials have announced that Bui Vien's "walking street" will not open this Saturday as originally planned.
Construction of the street’s sidewalks is running behind schedule, and telecommunication cables and water pipes still need to be installed, reports VnExpress. As a result, the opening date for the walking street has been put off indefinitely.
However, the city is still moving ahead with plans to ban vehicles from passing through Bui Vien between the hours of 7pm and 2am on weekends, starting this Friday, the news source shares. There will be limited access for local residents.
The original plan was devised as a way to draw more local and foreign visitors to the District 1 street.
Similar projects, like the promenade on Nguyen Hue, have been successful in creating more lively spaces for pedestrians. However, they have also faced criticisms by local residents who feel that streets with more shops, eateries and services would be a better choice, as reported by Thanh Nien in 2015. The Bui Vien walking street project has been developed as a means to fill that void.
Bui Vien is the center of Saigon’s backpacker district, drawing between 500 and 2,000 visitors daily. The street usually earns more than VND37 billion (USD$1.63 million) a year from conducting tourism-centric business.
Once finished, the street will be designated for pedestrians from 7pm until 2am on weekends, with live music shows held from 8-10pm, if all goes according to plan.
[Photo via VnExpress]
