A section of the Saigon River from Ba Son Bridge to Thu Thiem Bridge, October 2024. Photo by Read/Quynh Tran
Masterise Group has asked to build a transit corridor spanning nearly the entire length of the Saigon River, proposing a 10-lane highway and light rail line stretching from the southern tip of Can Gio to the rural outskirts of Cu Chi.
The private developer submitted the proposal to the city’s People’s Committee, requesting to participate in investment research for both the riverside road and an LRT or tramway line. The company pointed to the city’s own master plan for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, which identifies both routes as priority projects.
The riverside road would stretch from Can Gio Bridge in the south to Ben Suc Bridge in Cu Chi to the northwest, connecting a chain of former districts along the Saigon River including Can Gio, Nha Be, Districts 1 and 7, Thu Duc, Hoc Mon and Cu Chi.
Running parallel, the light rail line would link Mien Tay Bus Station to the Ba Son waterfront area, passing through several major roads including Vo Van Kiet and Ton Duc Thang before terminating near the city’s central riverfront.
The system is designed to connect with Ring Roads 2, 3 and 4, the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway and several national highways and expressways, forming what planners envision as a complete regional transport network.
City authorities expect the corridor to ease chronic congestion in the downtown core while unlocking riverside land for urban development, commercial activity and tourism. The Saigon River waterfront has long been seen as an underutilized asset in a city of over 10 million people, and the proposed transit corridor could accelerate efforts to turn it into a mixed-use destination.
Masterise Group proposed developing the project under a public-private partnership model, a build-transfer contract or another format aligned with city policy. If the project has already been assigned to another entity, the company said it hopes to participate through competitive bidding.
The real estate conglomerate is not the first to eye the corridor. Sun Group previously proposed a similar riverside road of 8-10 lanes with metro or tramway along the same stretch, signaling strong private sector interest in developing the Saigon River as a transport and commercial axis.
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