Wuzhong Road's bus lanes up and running
Two bus-only lanes, each 8 kilometers long along Wuzhong Road, were officially put to use on Monday after a one-month test run that showed they relieved traffic congestion on the busy street.
The construction of the lanes, from Zhongshan Road W. to Qixin Road, started in April. It is one of the city's major traffic projects this year.
It’s estimated that about 60,000 people take buses run by 11 bus lines along this part of Wuzhong Road every day, and the lanes on which the traffic moves from west to east are busier than lanes in the other direction.
The bus-only lanes were completed at the end of September, and in the past month, both buses and other vehicles on this part of Wuzhong Road were able to run faster, according to statistics provided by Shanghai Road Administration Bureau.
In the direction of west to east, buses now run at an average speed of 13.9 kilometers per hour during morning and evening peak hours, up from 9.8 and 11.16 kph previously, while other vehicles also enjoyed faster journeys. However, the congestion at the street’s intersection with the Outer Ring Road and the Middle Ring Road remains a headache for drivers.
In the next period, the traffic police will step up controls in this part of the street to reduce the use of other vehicles on the bus-only lanes during peak hours, and the bus companies said they will follow up and optimize bus schedules to make the bus-only lanes more efficient in transporting passengers.
