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China's Massive Traffic Jam Could Last For Weeks
A massive traffic jam in north China that stretches for dozens ofmiles and hit its 10-day mark on Tuesday stems from road constructionin Beijing that won't be finished until the middle of next month, anofficial said.
Bumper-to-bumper gridlockspanning for 60 miles (100 kilometers) with vehicles moving little morethan a half-mile (one kilometer) a day at one point has improved sincethis weekend, said Zhang Minghai, director of Zhangjiakou city'sTraffic Management Bureau general office.
Somedrivers have been stuck in the jam for five days, China CentralTelevision reported Tuesday. But Zhang said he wasn't sure when thesituation along the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highway would return to normal.
Thetraffic jam started Aug. 14 on a stretch of the highway that isfrequently congested, especially after large coalfields were discoveredin Inner Mongolia, Zhang said. Traffic volume has increased 40 percentevery year.
Drivers stranded in the gridlockin the Inner Mongolia region and Hebei province, headed toward Beijing,passed the time sleeping, walking around, or playing cards and chess.Local villagers were doing brisk business selling instant noodles,boxed lunches and snacks, weaving between the parked trucks on bicycles.
Thoughthere were no reports of road rage violence, drivers complained aboutprice-gouging by villagers who were their only source of food andwater. A bottle of water that normally costs 1 yuan (15 cents) wasselling for 10 yuan ($1.50), while the price of a 3 yuan- (45 cent-)cup of instant noodles had more than tripled, media reports said.
"Aboxed lunch is 10 yuan ($1.50), and one box isn't enough for me," ChinaNational Radio cited a driver surnamed Lu as saying. "I'm spending upto 50 yuan (about $7.50) a day on food. It's more expensive than eatingin a restaurant."
The highway constructionin Beijing that is restricting inbound traffic flow and causing the jam"will not be finished until Sept. 17," Zhang said.
Authoritieswere trying to speed up traffic by allowing more trucks to enterBeijing, especially at night, Zhang said. They also asked truckingcompanies to suspend operations and advised drivers to take alternateroutes.
China's roadways are increasinglyoverburdened as the number of private vehicles booms along withcommercial truck traffic hauling materials like coal and food tocities. Traffic slowdowns because of construction and accidents arecommon, though a 10-day traffic jam is unusual even in China.
China's Massive Traffic Jam Could Last For Weeks
A massive traffic jam in north China that stretches for dozens ofmiles and hit its 10-day mark on Tuesday stems from road constructionin Beijing that won't be finished until the middle of next month, anofficial said.
Bumper-to-bumper gridlockspanning for 60 miles (100 kilometers) with vehicles moving little morethan a half-mile (one kilometer) a day at one point has improved sincethis weekend, said Zhang Minghai, director of Zhangjiakou city'sTraffic Management Bureau general office.
Somedrivers have been stuck in the jam for five days, China CentralTelevision reported Tuesday. But Zhang said he wasn't sure when thesituation along the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highway would return to normal.
Thetraffic jam started Aug. 14 on a stretch of the highway that isfrequently congested, especially after large coalfields were discoveredin Inner Mongolia, Zhang said. Traffic volume has increased 40 percentevery year.
Drivers stranded in the gridlockin the Inner Mongolia region and Hebei province, headed toward Beijing,passed the time sleeping, walking around, or playing cards and chess.Local villagers were doing brisk business selling instant noodles,boxed lunches and snacks, weaving between the parked trucks on bicycles.
Thoughthere were no reports of road rage violence, drivers complained aboutprice-gouging by villagers who were their only source of food andwater. A bottle of water that normally costs 1 yuan (15 cents) wasselling for 10 yuan ($1.50), while the price of a 3 yuan- (45 cent-)cup of instant noodles had more than tripled, media reports said.
"Aboxed lunch is 10 yuan ($1.50), and one box isn't enough for me," ChinaNational Radio cited a driver surnamed Lu as saying. "I'm spending upto 50 yuan (about $7.50) a day on food. It's more expensive than eatingin a restaurant."
The highway constructionin Beijing that is restricting inbound traffic flow and causing the jam"will not be finished until Sept. 17," Zhang said.
Authoritieswere trying to speed up traffic by allowing more trucks to enterBeijing, especially at night, Zhang said. They also asked truckingcompanies to suspend operations and advised drivers to take alternateroutes.
China's roadways are increasinglyoverburdened as the number of private vehicles booms along withcommercial truck traffic hauling materials like coal and food tocities. Traffic slowdowns because of construction and accidents arecommon, though a 10-day traffic jam is unusual even in China.
