Take a weekend stroll down car-free Daxue Rd
Daxue Road on Sunday.
Daxue Road in Shanghai's Yangpu District launched many innovative events on Sunday to celebrate its first anniversary as a car-free street on weekends.
The street, whose name translates as "University Road," and is known for its popularity among young entrepreneurs and students, has seen a significant rise in foot traffic.
Over the past year, the street saw an average daily foot traffic of 39,200 people, a 37.6 percent increase from the previous year.
The peak traffic exceeded 100,000 visitors on some days, and weekend sales reached more than 3.1 million yuan (US$429,108), with total yearly sales about 110 million yuan.
The nearby Fudan University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and the Knowledge Innovative Community park mainly contribute to this popularity, according to the Wujiaochang Subdistrict.
To celebrate the first anniversary, the street launched a youth matchmaking event and the Yangpu Global Food Festival with 20 participating restaurants on Sunday. The celebration aimed to strengthen community ties and provide exclusive benefits to local residents, the subdistrict said.
Vendors are permitted to conduct business on the streets during weekends.
The road features bookstores, outdoor dining, street bazaars and other leisure venues. It became a model for outdoor consumption in Shanghai in 2012.
In 2019, the street introduced a management system to maintain order. This includes a self-management committee for businesses, residents and enterprises.
The road was transformed into a pedestrian-only area every weekend on May 20, 2023, as part of Shanghai's efforts to boost its nightlife economy.
The change provided a space for innovation and community engagement, while making the street more unique at the intersection of commercial, residential, academic, and business zones.
The street hosted 44 special events in collaboration with companies like Douyin and Meituan, and brands like Pechoin and NIO. These events included community markets and public art projects.
Since becoming car-free on weekends, it has attracted 14 first-time stores in Shanghai, including Discus Mart and Encompass. The street now features diverse new businesses and has completed its night time lighting project, the subdistrict said.
The road's mascot is a brown bear.
