Weekend G40 traffic ban during flower expo announced

A traffic ban will be imposed on certain parts of the G40 expressway during the upcoming 10th China Flower Expo held on Chongming Island, Shanghai police said today.

The ban will affect G40 traffic on weekends during the expo, which runs from May 21 until July 2, and during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday from June 12 to 14.

From 7am to 1pm on those days, small passenger cars and trucks will be prohibited from traveling on the expressway from urban Shanghai to Chongming, Changxing and Hengsha islands, and in the reverse direction from 1pm to 8pm.

It was previously announced that two lanes in both directions from Wuzhou Avenue at the Zhangyang Road N. overpass in Pudong along G40 to the expo venue would be reserved for large tourist buses from May 15 to July 2.

The G40 is the only road that links Chongming Island with the rest of the country, with increasing traffic volume in recent years.

Police said the traffic ban is designed to relieve the amount of traffic on the expressway during the expo, which a huge number of people are expected to attend.

Also, small passenger cars with non-Shanghai license plates will be prohibited from using the Changjiang Tunnel Bridge on the G40 in the direction of Chongming Island from June 11 to 14, and on weekends until the expo closes.

Trucks with yellow plates will be prohibited from using the G40 within Shanghai from June 12 to 14, and from 6am to 8pm on weekends until the expo closes.

Around the expo venue, which is in the Dongping National Forest Park area, all motor vehicles without passes or reserved parking licenses will be prohibited in certain sections from 8am to 9pm during the expo.

The area is surrounded by Changzheng Highway, Dongfeng Highway, Fengying Road, Dongrui Road, Beiyan Highway, Panlong Highway, Caogang Highway and Jianshe Highway; Changzheng and Caogang highways are still open to traffic.

The traffic ban aims to minimize congestion in the streets around the expo venue, which are not wide enough to accommodate many vehicles, police said.

Officials recommend that people join a travel group or use public transportation to visit the expo.

Flower expo special lines will be available at seven transport hubs connecting with Metro stations — including Hutai Road, Wuzhou Avenue, Longyang Road, Gaoqiao long-distance bus station and Jiading New Town — to reach the expo park's north parking lot No. 1 (public transport hub).

Visitors must book tickets at least a day in advance (before 6pm) via the flower expo's WeChat mini program to take the expo special line. Tickets are 20 yuan (US$3.1) one way, 40 yuan round trip.