Hangzhou gears up for September's Asian Games
Flower-shaped boards painted with sports icons hang on the roofs of traditional folk houses in Xixi National Wetland Park.
The final preparations for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, from September 10 to 25, are all in full swing.
To create a vibe for the approaching Asian Games, Xixi National Wetland Park has created new settings themed around the event.
Big LEDs have been set up to screen promotional videos about Hangzhou and the Games in eight spots across the wetland.
A new installation has been built of Xixi features at the exit of Zhoujia Village, including traditional gondolas, plum blossoms and water birds. The designers also included sports elements. Visitors can write their wishes for the Asian Games on ping-pong balls and put them in a large container.
Xixi Wetland is ablaze with vibrant plum blossoms. Flower-shaped boards painted with sports icons hang from roofs, adding a sports vibe to traditional folk houses.
A kid makes sports-themed clay figurines, such as weight lifting and tennis, under the guidance of a teacher in the Tianmushan Town Central Kindergarten to welcome the Asian Games.
Measures to avoid the jammed public transportation around West Lake Scenic Area, have been designed to improve visitors' experiences during the Asian Games.
The 1.6-kilometer-long road linking Yanggong Causeway and Yuhuang Hill features 10 scenic attractions, three bus stations, a kindergarten and a primary school.
During the rush hour, the section is normally packed with vehicles and pedestrians.
Now, the original two-lane road between Leifeng Pagoda and Jingci Temple has been expanded to three lanes, and another non-motorized vehicle lane has been carved out for pedestrians, which has reduced rush-hour traffic.
A 200-meter-long reversible lane has been set up, so the traffic may travel in either direction depending on conditions.
The combined measures have reduced the congestion index of this section by 4.37 percent year on year.
Many out-of-town visitors travel around the West Lake by bus. However, buses impact road traffic when they pull over, creating safety hazards for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles.
To solve this problem, a promenade was paved under trees for pedestrians, and bus stops were converted into traffic islands.
The average bus speed has increased by 260 meters per hour, which has improved public transportation efficiency on the road.
