According to Tuoi Tre, the People’s Committee of District 1 has instead requested that the Department of Transport reassess the barriers' installation, citing problems posed to pedestrians and disabled people. Committee officials also added that, in some cases, the metal roadblocks are futile when it comes to keeping drivers off the sidewalk, as some simply maneuver past them by squeezing through the narrow space between the barriers.

However, Head of the Department of Road Infrastructure Management Ngo Hai Duong told the media source the metal barriers are only temporary. By the end of this month, the department will evaluate their effectiveness and decide whether to expand the installation to other neighborhoods.

Although Saigoneers are used to metal barriers on sidewalks – such blockades are also in place in Tao Dan and other parks – this is the first time city officials have outfitted sidewalks in District 1 with the barriers, according to VnExpress. Currently, Pasteur, Ly Tu Trong and Nguyen Binh Khiem Streets are included in the pilot scheme.

A typical barrier setup consists of three stainless steel bars, each with a diameter of eight centimeters. In order to allow wheelchairs to pass through, workers leave a space of around 80 centimeters between bars.

In addition to setting up sidewalk barriers, Saigon’s police department has also been on hand to catch motorists who drive on the pavement, reports Tuoi Tre in a separate article.

According to the news source, on February 15 alone, police officers stopped 108 such drivers on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street and at the intersection of Ly Tu Trong and Nguyen Trung Truc. If caught, offenders will be fined VND350,000 and may have their driver’s license temporarily revoked.

[Photo via Zing]

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