Hanoi Ring Road 3 traffic reorganization proposal

The Traffic Police Department has proposed a reorganization of traffic management for the elevated Ring Road 3 in Hanoi. Due to extreme congestion, where vehicle volume reaches approximately 122,000 to 130,000 vehicles per day—over eight times the original design capacity—authorities are considering converting the existing emergency lane into a third driving lane in each direction.

The proposal suggests implementing three continuous driving lanes per direction instead of the current two lanes and one emergency lane. To manage this change, officials plan to lower operational speeds to ensure uniform movement across the route.

Regarding vehicle breakdowns, the Traffic Police Department stated that removing the emergency lane does not mean support will be unavailable. Authorities intend to develop new emergency response plans, including enhanced monitoring via camera systems and traffic control centers to detect incidents early. Once a breakdown occurs, officials will implement traffic diversion and create priority corridors for rescue, fire, and medical services to clear the incident as quickly as possible.