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"The traffic capacity of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Passage is worrying! 》
At 3:30 p.m. on June 30, 2024, with the sound of car horns and cheers, the long-awaited Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor was finally officially opened to traffic. Known as the "Super Cross-Sea Cluster Project", the corridor is an important link between the two cities of Shenzhen and Zhongshan, and is also a key link in the transportation network of the Pearl River Delta region. However, before the joy of celebration had dissipated, an unexpected but reasonable problem quickly surfaced - less than an hour after the opening of the Shenzhong Corridor, it was in a severe traffic jam.
Imagine driving up this new passage in high spirits, looking forward to the exhilarating experience of crossing the ocean. However, as you reach the middle of the sea bridge, the traffic ahead suddenly starts to squirm slowly. You look around and find yourself trapped in a sea of cars. The distant beauty of the sea and sky seems to be a mockery, and your ambitious journey across the sea has now become a test of patience.
This is not an isolated case. Whether it is Shenzhen or Zhongshan, including the bridge section on the sea, there are different degrees of congestion. Especially on the Shenzhen side, the situation is even more severe: the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Yanjiang Expressway is north-south to Zhongshan, and the Shenhai Expressway is to the Shenzhong Bridge, and the three directions are fully congested. Even in the vicinity of the Nansha branch line, which has not yet been opened, there are already signs of slowing down traffic.
The congestion problem of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor is not only a test of commuters' patience, but also a serious challenge to the transportation planning and urban development strategy of the entire Pearl River Delta region. This phenomenon has led to deep reflection on the following aspects:
Are the transportation demand estimates accurate?
With a total length of 24 kilometers, the Shenzhong Corridor adopts the technical standard of a two-way eight-lane expressway with a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour. Such a design was undoubtedly well thought out during the planning phase. However, with such severe congestion on the first day of opening, one wonders if the actual traffic demand between the two places was underestimated during the planning stage.
It is important to know that Shenzhen, as a representative of China's special economic zone and innovative city, has been increasing its economic vitality and demographic attractiveness. As an important city on the west bank of the Pearl River Delta, Zhongshan has also been actively seeking transformation and upgrading in recent years. The ties between the two places are bound to grow stronger. Against this backdrop, it is worth exploring whether the eight-lane design can meet the traffic needs of the next 5, 10 or even longer years.
Are the supporting facilities complete?
No large-scale infrastructure project should exist in isolation. It needs to be seamlessly connected to the surrounding transportation network to be most effective. Although the design of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor itself is advanced, if the road network connecting the two ends cannot keep up, it will cause a "bottleneck effect".
For example, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Yanjiang Expressway and the Shenhai Expressway on the Shenzhen side have experienced severe congestion. This may mean that the capacity of these roads connected to the Shenzhong Corridor may not be able to match the capacity of the new corridor. The same problem may also exist on the Zhongshan side. If these "bottlenecks" cannot be solved as soon as possible, the efficiency of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor will be greatly reduced.
Are traffic management measures in place?
Some confusion in the early stages of a large infrastructure is understandable, but good traffic management measures should be able to respond quickly and mitigate the situation. On the first day of the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, was there enough traffic police deployed? Is the emergency plan activated? Does the traffic guidance system work? These are all issues of concern.
Effective traffic management includes not only on-site command and guidance, but also the release of real-time traffic information and suggestions for alternative routes. If these measures are not in place, it will be difficult to cope with sudden large-scale congestion, even if the hardware facilities are advanced.
Are public transport facilities adequate?
An important way to reduce congestion is to encourage public transport trips. Are there enough bus routes planned for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor? Is possible future rail access considered? If it can be facilitated for cross-sea public transportation, it will greatly reduce the need for private cars, thereby alleviating the pressure of congestion.
Is the charging policy reasonable?
Although the specific toll standard of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor has not yet been announced, the toll policy will undoubtedly have an important impact on the traffic volume. If the charges are too high, it may dampen some non-essential travel demand; However, if the toll is too low, it may stimulate too much traffic and exacerbate congestion. How to formulate a charging standard that can ensure the normal operation of the channel without excessively suppressing the demand for use is an issue that needs to be carefully considered.
Does the development strategy of the surrounding cities need to be adjusted?
The opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor will undoubtedly strengthen the connection between Shenzhen and Zhongshan. This connection is not only reflected in transportation, but also affects the industrial layout and population flow of the two places. For example, will more people choose to live in Zhongshan and work in Shenzhen? What impact will this possibility have on urban planning, real estate markets, and public service facilities in the two places?
From a larger perspective, the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor will also affect the development pattern of the entire Pearl River Delta region. It may accelerate the integration of the east and west sides of the Pearl River Delta and promote regional coordinated development. At the same time, if the problem of traffic congestion is not effectively solved, it may also become a bottleneck restricting regional integration.
What are the possibilities for future expansion?
Considering the rapid development of the Pearl River Delta region, the capacity of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor may face greater pressure in the future. So, does this channel reserve the possibility of future expansion? For example, is it possible to improve the efficiency of existing lanes through technical means? Is it possible to increase the number of lanes? Or is there a need to consider building a second sea crossing?
The answers to these questions are not only related to the development of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor itself, but also to the transportation planning and urban development strategy of the entire Pearl River Delta region.
The congestion problem that occurred on the first day of the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor has undoubtedly sounded the alarm for relevant departments and the public. It reminds us that while cheering for the achievements of major infrastructure construction, we should also keep a clear head, take precautions, and discover and solve possible problems in a timely manner.
For ordinary citizens, especially those commuters who dream of "living in Zhongshan and working in Shenzhen", the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor may bring not only convenience, but also new challenges. Even if the $66 bridge toll is waived, the cost of time is still a factor that cannot be ignored. Before making a decision to commute across cities, you need to consider a variety of factors such as transportation time, cost of living, job opportunities, and more.
For the government and relevant management departments, the congestion problem of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan corridor should be a warning. It reminds us that while promoting large-scale infrastructure construction, we should pay more attention to overall planning and systematic thinking. It is necessary to think and solve problems in an all-round way from multiple levels such as traffic demand forecasting, supporting facilities construction, traffic management measures, public transportation planning, and toll policy formulation.
At the same time, the experience of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor also provides valuable inspiration for other large-scale cross-sea projects that are being planned or under construction. For example, projects such as the Shenzhen-Huizhou Corridor and the Shenzhen-Zhuhai Corridor, which are currently being planned, can learn from the cases of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, fully consider the possible challenges in the planning stage, and formulate countermeasures in advance.
In addition, the congestion problem of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan corridor has once again highlighted the importance of intelligent transportation systems. In the future, how to use big data, artificial intelligence and other technologies to realize the intelligent allocation of traffic flow and improve the efficiency of road use will be a topic worthy of in-depth study.
Finally, we also need to recognize that the solution to traffic congestion cannot be solved by simply increasing the supply of roads. More importantly, it is necessary to reduce the need for unnecessary long-distance commuting through reasonable urban planning and industrial layout. At the same time, vigorously developing public transportation and encouraging green travel is also an important way to alleviate traffic pressure.
The opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor is undoubtedly a milestone in the history of transportation development in the Pearl River Delta region. It is like a cross-sea rainbow, connecting cities on both sides of the Pearl River, drawing a beautiful blueprint for regional coordinated development. However, the congestion problem that appeared on the first day is also a wake-up call, reminding us to be prepared for danger in times of peace while cheering for development.
Let us hope that with the joint efforts of all parties, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor will be able to overcome the initial "growing pains" as soon as possible, and truly become a convenient channel connecting the east and west banks of the Pearl River Delta, injecting new vitality into regional economic and social development. At the same time, we also hope that the experience of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor can provide useful inspiration for future infrastructure construction and promote our urban and regional development to a higher level.
After all, the meaning of a bridge is not only to connect the two sides of the strait, but also to connect people's hearts, dreams, and a better future. Let us hope that the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor can overcome the "blockage" of congestion in the early stage and truly become a "thoroughfare" to promote regional coordinated development.