Hanoi rejects plan to remove Ring Road 3 emergency lanes

The Hanoi Department of Construction has rejected a proposal from the Traffic Police Department to remove the emergency lane on the elevated Ring Road 3 to create a third driving lane. The department stated that the plan is not feasible and does not comply with current technical standards.

Technical assessments conducted with the Hanoi Traffic Police and the University of Transport and Communications revealed that the road's cross-section (10.75m per direction) cannot accommodate three lanes while maintaining required widths. If implemented, lane widths would drop to between 3.0m and 3.25m, and safety strips would fall below the mandatory 0.25m minimum.

Furthermore, officials warned that removing the emergency lane on this vital, single-access route could create bottlenecks. In the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident, the lack of an emergency lane would block traffic flow and prevent emergency services, such as ambulances and fire trucks, from reaching the scene.