Jing'an police act to curb Fengshengli nuisance
A large screen over the entrance/exit of Metro Line 12 at Fengshengli.
Noise and light pollution are major issues for local residents along Nanjing Road W. in Shanghai's downtown Jing'an District, local police said.
Along Nanjing Road W., business complexes such as Fengshengli serve as both a gateway to and a barrier for residential neighborhoods.
The location serves as an intersection for three Metro Lines: 12, 13, and 2.
Since October, Maoming Road N., a 574-meter-long roadway connecting Zhangyuan and Fengshengli, has been used as a pedestrian street every weekend (from midnight on Friday to 4am on Monday).
After years of renovation, a cluster of old Shanghai-style houses are now open to the public, activating the night market around the region and attracting more visitors from all over the country.
Maoming Road N. turns into a pedestrian street on weekends.
When night falls and shops, restaurants, and bars welcome customers, the period becomes the most difficult part of the day for neighborhood locals who wish to relax after a long day.
"I can't open my windows on weekends. The large advertising screens illuminate my house, and the noise from many businesses is endless," Zhang, a resident of the Jing'an Villa, said.
Jing'an Villa, a historical residential complex next to Fengshengli, has roughly 1,000 houses, half of which are affected by the noise.
"We've received more complaints since last year," said Xie Bizhen, a police officer from the Nanjing Road W. Police Station who has been in charge of public security in the area for seven years.
Xie visited the community several times to listen to residents' needs and concerns and seek solutions.
He proposed minimizing screen brightness and noise during the night, as well as turning off all light and sound after 9pm every day.
Xie's proposals were approved and implemented thanks to the collaborative efforts of relevant departments and rounds of negotiation.
"Our reasonable suggestions and negotiations have also been recognized by most shops," he added.
The key difficulty for developers is always how to reconcile the business needs of the surrounding commercial entities with the wants of the local residents for a quiet life.
The speed bumps in Fengshengli.
Apart from noise and light issues, turning Maoming Road N. into a pedestrian street created new problems. Vehicle restrictions on weekends made it difficult for delivery riders to enter Fengshengli for takeaway items.
And so an inner road in Fengshengli has been converted into non-motor vehicle lanes on weekends.
The issue of riders picking up parcels was thus resolved, but it has also resulted in other issues – fast bikes and more noise.
More measures, such as renovating roads, altering speed bumps, adding more traffic signs, and negotiating with commercial entities, were implemented prior to the May Day holiday.
"The height of the speed bump was finally decided to be 3 centimeters – the lowest height of the speed bump," Xie said, explaining that "we need to ensure safety while minimizing noise influence."
Along with the speed bumps, new slow-down signs have been installed.
"We also advised the road's property management company to lay the road with quiet materials," Xie stated.
A nearby resident remarked, "We can still hear some noise from time to time, but it is much better."
Xie Bizhen (left) takes a round of the Jing'an Villa residential complex.
