Thu Thiem Bridge 1
Thu Thiem Bridge 1 was the original road bridge to Thu Thiem, opening in 2008. It connects District 1\'s Nguyen Huu Canh corridor with the northern edge of the master plan. Less photogenic than Bridge 2, but for years it was the only crossing — and remains a workhorse for southern District 1 trips.
- Type
- Cable-stayed
- Opened
- January 2008
- Length
- ~1.25 km (with approaches)
- Lanes
- 6
- Connects
- Nguyen Huu Canh (D1) ↔ Thu Thiem
Bridge 1 at a glance
Thu Thiem Bridge 1 is a six-lane cable-stayed bridge across the Saigon River, opened in January 2008. The District 1 landing is at the Nguyen Huu Canh corridor near the Saigon Pearl complex; the Thu Thiem landing is at the northern edge of the master plan, adjacent to the Sala Township and Eco Smart City parcels. For three years between 2008 and the tunnel\'s opening in 2011, this was the only road connection to Thu Thiem.
The bridge\'s practical role today is as the workhorse connection for southern District 1, Binh Thanh district, and the wider south-western part of the city. Where Bridge 2 lands in central District 1 and the tunnel connects to the East-West Highway corridor, Bridge 1 serves a different daily-trip set entirely. The three crossings are complementary rather than redundant.
Construction history
Bridge 1 was approved in the late 1990s as part of the original Thu Thiem connectivity programme. Construction began in 2005 with completion and opening in early 2008. The design and engineering were Vietnamese-led, with a relatively conservative cable-stayed configuration that prioritised practical capacity over aesthetic statement.
The bridge\'s opening predates the Thu Thiem Tunnel by three years and was, for that period, the only road connection to the peninsula. The early Sala Township handovers in the mid-2010s depended on Bridge 1 access for both construction logistics and resident occupancy.
Role in the Thu Thiem network
Bridge 1 continues to be a key arterial connection, particularly for residents of the northern Thu Thiem zones (FA2a, FA2b) commuting toward southern District 1, Binh Thanh, or the Phu Nhuan / District 3 corridor. Off-peak crossing time is 3–5 minutes; peak congestion on the Nguyen Huu Canh corridor can extend trip times significantly.
Thu Thiem Bridge 1 FAQs
When did Thu Thiem Bridge 1 open?
Thu Thiem Bridge 1 opened to traffic in January 2008, three years before the Thu Thiem Tunnel. At the time it was the only road connection between Thu Thiem and District 1, accelerating the early development of the master plan.
Where does Thu Thiem Bridge 1 land?
On the District 1 side, the bridge lands at the Nguyen Huu Canh corridor near the Saigon Pearl development. On the Thu Thiem side, the bridge lands at the northern edge of the master plan, adjacent to the Sala Township and Eco Smart City sites.
How does Bridge 1 differ from Bridge 2?
Bridge 1 (Nguyen Huu Canh) lands further south and west than Bridge 2 (Ba Son). Bridge 1 is the workhorse for southern District 1 / Binh Thanh district trips; Bridge 2 is the central-District-1 connection. Both bridges serve different daily-trip patterns and are complementary rather than redundant.