Central Ring Colorful Ribbon

Central Ring Colorful Ribbon

The Central Ring Colorful Ribbon refers to Tianjin’s Central Ring Road (Central Ring Line), located between the city center and the outer urban area. It intersects with 14 radial roads, connecting industrial, warehousing, and newly developed residential areas. It serves as a vital route for alleviating urban traffic congestion and is also one of the "Ten Scenic Spots of Tianjin," known as the "Central Ring Colorful Ribbon."

In the past, Tianjin’s roads crisscrossed in disorder, leading to heavy vehicle congestion. This was due to the fragmented and independently managed layout of the nine foreign concessions before liberation. At that time, there were only 791 kilometers of roads and just over 300 cars. Most urban transport relied on porters and more than 2,000 hand carts. After liberation, Tianjin saw rapid development in municipal construction and road transport. By the end of 1985, the city's road network, including suburban areas, reached 3,791 kilometers—more than five times that of the early post-liberation period. The number of civilian vehicles exceeded 79,860, with over 53,547 trucks, a 41-fold increase since 1949. Bicycle numbers grew thirtyfold. Yet, road area increased by just over two times. As a result, the urban traffic conditions could no longer meet the demands of population growth, modernization, and opening up. During peak hours, average vehicle speeds dropped to just 12 km/h. A popular saying went: “Tianjin has a peculiar sight: taking a bus is slower than biking, and biking is slower than walking.” To address the city’s traffic woes, the municipal government formulated an urban master plan and, in 1985, introduced measures to construct a ring-and-radial arterial system. This system consists of three concentric rings (inner, central, and outer) and 14 radial roads, forming the city’s main traffic arteries.

The Central Ring Road was fully opened to traffic between 1985 and July 1, 1986, completed in just 10 months. The Inner Ring and Outer Ring Roads were subsequently completed and opened as well. The Inner Ring Road connects six districts and handles passenger traffic within the city center. The Outer Ring Road is dedicated to freight transport and diverts through-traffic away from the urban core. The Central Ring Road carries mixed passenger and freight traffic, reducing the need for vehicles to pass through the city center. Its completion handled about 80% of the city’s freight transport volume while also adding vibrancy to the urban landscape. Stretching 34.5 kilometers in total, the Central Ring Road features a 50-meter-wide roadway, including a 22-meter-wide express lane with a designed speed of 60 km/h. Each side has a 2-meter-wide median strip, 6-meter-wide slow lanes, and 6-meter-wide sidewalks. The entire median strip is lined with flowering peach, winter jasmine, roses, evergreen euonymus, and large-leaved boxwood. In spring, the winter jasmine and flowering peach trees bloom brilliantly in fiery reds, pinks, and pure whites. In summer and autumn, Tianjin’s city flower—the rose—blooms in a riot of colors: red, pink, yellow, orange, green, purple-black, multicolor, and bi-color, filling the air with fragrance. In winter, the evergreen euonymus and boxwood stand resiliently green against the wind. Where possible, roadside areas are planted with weeping willows, Chinese scholar trees, maple trees, and pines, while walls and enclosed courtyards are covered with creeping vines and Boston ivy. The entire Central Ring Road truly resembles a colorful ribbon for pedestrians to enjoy, offering lush greenery and fragrant blooms along the way.

Along the Central Ring Road, there are also many bridges, like pearls adorning the ribbon. There are seven river-crossing bridges: Qínjiǎn Bridge, Zǐyá River Bridge, Hóngqí Bridge, Jièyuán Bridge, Fùkāng Bridge, Guānghuá Bridge (also called Sìxīn Bridge), and Yántuó Bridge. There are eight overpasses: Bālǐtái, Jiěfàng Nánlù, Zhōngshānmén, Dōngxīng, Dōngfēng, Pǔjì Hédào, Chángjiāngdào, and Wángdǐngdī. Among these, the overpasses at Zhōngshānmén, Bālǐtái, and Wǔdǐngdī feature innovative, practical designs with economical yet elegant structures. The Zhōngshānmén Overpass, also known as the Ergōng Overpass, combines the cloverleaf and directional types. Its design resembles a dancing butterfly, earning it the nickname “Butterfly Overpass.” The top level runs east-west with separate up and down lanes for the Central Ring Road’s motor vehicles. The lower level accommodates north-south traffic for the Jīntáng Highway. The ground level includes two-way non-motorized lanes and sidewalks. This overpass design won China’s highest architectural award, the “Luban Prize,” in 1988. The Bālǐtái Overpass is a three-layer cloverleaf interchange. Its ramps are elevated to the second and third levels—non-motorized traffic uses the first level, north-south motor vehicles the second, and east-west motor vehicles the third. Four tall, umbrella-shaped light poles stand in the green gardens enclosed by the ramps, each 37 meters high with a diameter of 1.5 meters. The Wángdǐngdī Overpass is the city’s first three-layer directional interchange. Its main line has three lanes, separating motor and non-motor vehicles, with distinct entry and exit lanes, allowing all types of vehicles to travel in their designated directions. It handles up to 50,000 vehicles per day. Other overpasses, such as the Dōngfēng and Pǔjì Hédào Overpasses, resemble rainbows across the sky or dragons lying on waves. They are both economical and aesthetically pleasing. Together, these overpasses add splashes of color and variety to the Central Ring Road.

Traveling along the Central Ring Road during the day allows you to take in the attractive residential complexes and factory buildings along the route, as well as discover a series of parks and green spaces, such as Tónglóu Park, ErGōng Park, Běiníng Park, Táohuādī Park, and Chánghóng Park. These parks and green areas are like emerald jewels strung along the Central Ring Colorful Ribbon. At night, thousands of high-mast spotlights along the entire Central Ring Road illuminate brilliantly. From a high vantage point, the Central Ring Road resembles a dazzling, glowing pearl necklace. The Zhōngshānmén Butterfly Overpass, Bālǐtái Overpass, and Wángdǐngdī Overpass shine even brighter, like the most luminous pearls.

In short, a journey along the Central Ring Road allows you to admire the beauty of the city flower, architecture, and gardens, while also giving you a glimpse of Tianjin’s urban panorama and leaving you with a memorable impression of this modern metropolis.