On Wednesday, Da Nang People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Tuan hosted a group of some representatives from the Japan Transportation Planning Association (JTPA), led by its senior consultant Yoshio Hiro.

A JTPA representative speaking at the meeting

A JTPA representative said that an automated guideway transit (AGT) is considered as the optimal solution for medium-sized urban transportation system thanks to its modern technology, cheap costs, and many utilities.  

AGT is a fully automated, driverless, grade-separated transit system in which rubber tyre cars travel on special concrete track supported on in a range of between 5km and 30km. Most notably, developers of this overhead system will not bear the site clearance costs. In addition, the construction of AGT will help to boost the values of surrounding properties.

AGT has been successfully applied in such Japanese localities as Tokyo, Yokohama, Hiroshima, Kobe and Osaka. Moreover, such foreign countries as Singapore, the USA and Hong Kong have applied this model. Therefore, JTPA hoped that this model will be implemented in Da Nang by 2021.

In reply, Vice Chairman Tuan highlighted the significance of the 3^rd visit by the Japanese guests with the aim of assessing the city’s ability to apply this model.

He also asked JTPA to closely work with relevant local agencies, especially the Planning and Investment Department and the Department of Transportation, to develop the most feasible solution and present it at the forthcoming 8^th Da Nang Urban Development Forum for consideration.

The host asked the JTPA to provide more information about construction costs and human resources for implementing the project, as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of the project.