On September 20, 2010, two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, at 6 p.m., traffic moved slowly in both directions on Shuangjing Bridge, with heavy traffic on the service roads.
Data on congested road sections during weekday morning and evening rush hours in September 2012.
In response to the upcoming most congested September, the Beijing Municipal Traffic Management Bureau stated yesterday that three days of severe congestion are expected in September. On key congested days, the bureau will activate its highest-level deployment, with all patrol officers switching to two-wheeled motorcycles to speed up response times. For the first time, police helicopters will also carry traffic control personnel to coordinate and direct ground traffic from the air.
Traffic congestion will worsen in September
A comparative analysis by traffic authorities of traffic patterns over the past three Septembers shows that the average daily number of congestion reports in September is 46.1% higher than the annual average; average vehicle speeds are 2.3% lower than the annual average; the number of red-alert road sections is 26.1% higher than the annual average; and the average daily number of motor vehicles on roads within the Fifth Ring Road is 9.4% higher than the annual average.
Based on analysis of past traffic conditions and predictions for this year, traffic authorities say September will see a peak in travel, increasing pressure on the city’s traffic system and worsening congestion.
Helicopters to collect more traffic data
Officials from the Beijing Municipal Traffic Management Bureau explained that, based on traffic data from the past three Septembers and various congestion factors, September 2 (the first day of school), September 22, and September 29 are the three key congested days, with severe congestion expected. Next Monday marks the first key congested day, as the start of school overlaps with the morning rush hour. September 22 (Sunday) and September 29 (Sunday) are workdays without traffic restrictions due to adjusted holidays, and based on past trends, these two days are also expected to be highly congested.
“On peak and key days, the highest-level deployment plan will be activated,” the official said. Starting in September, traffic authorities will primarily deploy two-wheeled motorcycles for patrols on the main roads of the Second, Third, and Fourth Ring Roads, and make maximum use of two-wheeled motorcycles on major roads within the Fourth Ring Road to ensure rapid police response to sudden incidents. At the same time, clearance vehicles will be pre-positioned at key nodes of the Second, Third, and Fourth Ring Roads to promptly handle traffic accidents, congestion, and vehicle breakdowns, minimizing cleanup time and reducing the impact on social traffic.
Currently, traffic authorities have coordinated with the police aviation unit to develop detailed flight plans for key days, peak days, and holidays in September, further increasing the frequency of information collection and radio broadcasts during flights to maximize macro-level traffic flow monitoring and balancing. “Colleagues from the command center will also board the helicopters to assist in directing traffic,” the official said, adding that helicopters provide a more comprehensive view of traffic in specific areas, aiding macro-level command.
Measures
Patrol police can also handle accident fast-track processing
Starting September 1, the public will notice that patrol police vehicles are equipped with fast-track traffic accident report forms.
Officials from the traffic management bureau explained that starting in September, traffic police and patrol police will work in coordination. Patrol police who spot minor accidents eligible for simplified procedures will assist drivers in handling them. For accidents where responsibility cannot be immediately determined, patrol police will record the scene with chalk lines and advise the involved parties to move to the side of the road and wait for traffic police. This minimizes the impact of accidents on traffic. Additionally, patrol police and traffic police will form a long-term joint patrol at 12 congestion-prone locations, such as under the Dawangqiao Bridge, to maintain order.
Daily road condition forecasts starting in September
Starting September 1, traffic authorities will increase the frequency of traffic condition updates. Daily summaries will be issued in the afternoon to provide next-day traffic guidance, and weekly traffic forecasts will be released. Real-time traffic information will be disseminated via TV, radio, newspapers, websites, and other media. The frequency of updates on outdoor digital displays will also be increased, and roads leading to highways will provide early highway traffic information to guide vehicles away from congested areas.
Analysis
Multiple pressures create the most congested September
The “most congested” September is not without reason. Traffic authorities’ analysis of traffic patterns over the past three Septembers shows that due to factors such as the start of school, holiday travel, severe weather, emergencies, and tourism peaks, September traffic exhibits the characteristic pattern of “multiple pressures intertwining, leading to noticeably worse congestion.”
First, traffic pressure significantly increases on the first day of school. Over the past three years, the first day of school saw an average of 2,289 congestion reports per day, a 1.4-fold increase compared to August. Parents dropping off children tend to leave earlier, causing the morning rush hour to start sooner and last longer. Congestion hotspots form around schools and spill over to other roads, creating regional congestion.
Additionally, the nights before the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, when people visit family and friends or attend gatherings, significantly impact evening rush hour traffic. Pre-holiday gift shopping and other activities also lead to saturated traffic volumes throughout the day. According to weather forecasts, September will continue to see rainy days, often occurring during peak morning and evening hours, adding immense pressure to traffic.
September
2nd
The first day of school for primary and secondary students, combined with drivers unaccustomed to post-July and August travel patterns, may lead to more minor scraping accidents. It is expected that traffic pressure during the morning rush hour on the 2nd will significantly increase, especially around schools. Road sections with dense school distributions, such as the northwest Fourth Ring Road, northwest Third Ring Road, Xueyuan Road, and Chengfu Road, may experience intertwined traffic flows and slow movement.
22nd
The first workday after the Mid-Autumn Festival. As it falls on a Sunday, there are no traffic restrictions, leading to more vehicles on the road. Combined with the lingering travel boom from the Mid-Autumn Festival, the morning rush hour on the 22nd will be very congested, especially on major return routes to Beijing such as the Beijing–Tibet Expressway and the Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway, where returning traffic overlaps with the morning rush. It is recommended that those traveling on these roads that day leave earlier or later.
29th
A workday without traffic restrictions before National Day. It is predicted that some organizations may start their holidays early ahead of October 1, and congestion may occur during the day on the 29th, mainly around the Capital Airport Expressway, Beijing West Railway Station, and the Second and Third Ring Roads. The evening rush hour on the 29th is expected to reach peak congestion levels, influenced by evening gatherings and entertainment trips. Areas such as Sanlitun, Gongti, and Shuangjing are expected to experience congestion, with the evening rush lasting longer than usual.