Two Sessions Means Too Much Traffic: The Streets to Avoid
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This year’s postponed Two Sessions has started, which means we can
expect a variety of restrictions on travel, dining, and accessing parts
of the city (read more on what other restrictions will apply here). On
the other hand, this year’s meeting between the China People’s
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s
Congress (NPC), for which the meeting gets its namesake, will only run
for one week, May 21-28, instead of the usual two. Add a couple of days
on either end for people traveling into and out of the city, and traffic
should be back to normal by May 30.
It’s still
uncertain what form this year’s meeting will take. Usually, 3,000
delegates from around China travel to the capital to grease palms but
given ongoing social distancing measures, it’s still unclear how much if
any of the programs will move online in light of the pandemic.
Nevertheless, those delegates that are here will spend a good portion of
each day getting to and from the Great Hall of the People, where the
meetings are held, as well as the all-important lunches and dinners in
between. That means increased traffic and frequent roadblocks in major
political areas (especially during rush hour) as well as around
transportation hubs, according to a report from the Municipal Traffic
Management Bureau via Beijing News.
Add the fact that Beijing’s license plate road use policy still remains
on hold and you get the perfect storm for some tasty gridlock action.
If you value your sanity, avoid these areas
If you need to commute to work there’s not much you can do to dodge the increased traffic we’ll witness throughout the remainder of May. However, you may want to head out earlier or seek other means of transport to avoid the worst traffic.
These areas will be hit especially hard from now until May 30
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Below are the areas that stand to be hit heaviest during morning rush hour:
East, West, North Second Ring Road; Third Ring Road; East, North, South Fourth Ring Road; East, North Fifth Ring Road; Chang’an Street and Extension Line (Wukesong Bridge-Guomao Bridge), Guangqu Road, Fushi Road, Lianshi Road, Wanquanhe Road, and Zoo Road Viaduct. Additionally, the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, Beijing-Chengcheng Expressway, Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, Beijing Kaikai Expressway, Airport Expressway, and Jingtong highways such as Shuanghui Bridge to the Sihui Bridge will experience increased traffic into Beijing. Also, expect heavier traffic around China World Trade Center, Financial Street, Sijiqing, and Xinfadi.
During evening rush hour:
Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Ring Roads, as well as Chang’an Street, Fushi Road, and east, west, and north urban areas. Roads such as the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, Jingcheng Expressway, Airport Expressway, and Jingkai, Jingtong Express, Fushi Road, and other connecting lines out of Beijing will also witness traffic jams.
Qianmen East Avenue (except west to Dongfu Road between Zhengyi Road and Taijichang Street), Qianmen West Avenue, Qianmen East Road, Beixinhua Street, Xijiaomin Lane, Dongjiaomin Lane (from the east side of the square to Taijichang Street), Dongrongxian Hutong, Bingbuwa Hutong, Shibei Hutong, Wangfujing Street (from Dongchangan Street to Dongdan), Dongdan Sandao (Wangfujing Street to Xiaowei Hutong Section), Dashamao Hutong, Donghuamen Street.
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