Forest in Qingpu provides parking problem solution
Popular Hemu Shuijie Street pictured at night.
Severe shortage of parking spaces near tourist attractions is a brain-racking problem for many, and Qingpu District is addressing it with its own unique approach.
Officials in Qingpu have been doing field investigations amid nooks and crannies where vacant land is found to be suitable for parking.
Hemu Village in Qingpu District, about a five-minute drive from the Bailian Outlet Plaza, is now a wanghong (online sensation) destination thanks to the Hemu Shuijie Street (waterfront street) project.
Its popularity brings an influx of tourists, making the parking situation worse at the same time.
"During holidays, some 80 vehicles parked on the narrow countryside streets, causing severe traffic congestion, affecting the village's environment, damaging greenery, and drawing a lot of complaints from villagers," said Yu Linhui, Party secretary of the village.
The village only has around 60 parking spaces and Yu estimated the gap at 140.
A solution was worked out – making space in nearby forest available for parking. There are spaces amidst the trees, large enough to park a car, officials said.
An artist's view of the parking solution.
Meanwhile, withered grass will be removed and replaced with turf-covered bricks.
Several rounds of research and surveys were conducted with residents' voices heard before the solution was suggested.
Based on the plan, the layout of the land will not be changed.
The project is scheduled to be put into operation in June, and it will create an extra 40 parking lots.
The village is also working with local enterprises to make their parking space public, raising the number of lots to nearly 200 by that time which can fill the gap even during peak days.
It will also provide a leisure place for residents and tourists to enjoy greenery as congestion deterred them in the past, said Yu.
Hemu Shuijie Street is a popular tourist attraction.
