Download
Beijing's traffic authorities will use motorbikes and helicopters as part of a series of measures to tackle heavy traffic in September.
Helicopters will be used to gather detailed traffic information, which will be released to the public, according to the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.
More traffic police will be dispatched to maintain traffic order, according to a statement on the bureau's website on Thursday.
Based on previous years' traffic statistics, the Beijing Commission of Transport said that September will witness some of the heaviest traffic congestion due to the new school semester, as well as the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.
Road congestion is expected reach serious levels on nine days this month, with the traffic congestion index expected to reach above 8.5. The index measures congestion on a scale of 0 (no congestion) to 10 (heavily congested).
The days surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, Sept 17, Sept 18, Sept 22 and Sept 29, are expected to hit above 9.0, the statement said.
Mid-Autumn Day, which falls on Sept 19 this year, has become a popular holiday for people to send gifts, so many cars from outside Beijing are expected to come to the capital.
Last year, on Sept 25, five days before the National Day holiday, the city witnessed a peak road congestion index of 9.8 during late afternoon.
According to the commission's latest plan to deal with heavy traffic this month, government departments have been told not to hold large meetings or activities.
Companies and institutions are also urged to offer employees flexible work hours to avoid traffic gridlock, said Wang Wenfang, a spokeswoman for the transport commission, on Thursday.
However, it will be up to the companies or institutions to implement a flexible work schedule policy, Wang added.
Meanwhile, Beijing plans to open and change seven bus lines in September and introduce more community bus lines for commuters.
Customized shuttle bus lines will also be introduced this month, according to the commission.
Liu Fuli, an independent expert in traffic congestion, welcomed the new measures and said flexible work-hour policies would be better implemented if government departments could try them out first.
He added that the problem of traffic congestion in Beijing lies in wrongly set traffic signals on city side roads.
Zhang Mingming, 33, who works in the Financial Street area, said that a flexible working schedule would not resolve road congestion because in some areas traffic has been a long standing problem.
"Every day I drive my car to work and pass the West Railway Station area, I get caught for at least half an hour,"Zhang said.
The number of cars on the road is increasing, and the current road system cannot cope with so many vehicles, she said.
Lei Xiu, 27, another commuter living in the Mentougou district, said she has already noticed traffic increasing in recent days.
Lei said she worries this week the traffic will become worse because many parents will be taking their children to school for the new semester.
"This month, I plan to get up early every working day to avoid the traffic peak,"Liu said.
Questions:
1. What will Beijing’s traffic authorities use to tackle heavy September traffic?
2. How high is the traffic congestion index expected to reach?
3. Last September, one what day did the city reach its peak road congestion of 9.8?
Answers:
1. Helicopters and motorcycles.
2. 8.5.
3. September 25.
About the broadcaster:
Lance Crayon is a videographer and editor with China Daily. Since living in Beijing he has worked for China Radio International (CRI) and Global Times. Before moving to China he worked in the film industry in Los Angeles as a talent agent and producer. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.
英语听力:世界厨王争霸赛在江苏举行
视频:美国副总统拜登、国务卿克林顿设宴迎习近平访美
英语听力视频:10分钟了解中国
新东方杯口语大赛武汉赛区海选正式拉开帷幕
英语听力视频:现代版风马车远帆起航
英语听力:世界卫生组织号召全球履行禁烟
英语听力:谷歌地球卫星图“曝光”未知金字塔(视频)
英语听力:福布斯评片酬最高男演员 汤姆克鲁斯位列榜首
可口可乐含氯门曝光18天后道歉(视频)
英语听力视频:4分钟了解200个国家200多年发展史
英语视频听力:中国电影进入美国家庭
TED演讲:改变世界的照片(中文字幕)
英语听力:福尔摩斯代言捷豹的采访(双语视频)
双语视频:美国90后MM教你追女孩五大要点
英语听力:奥巴马在巴纳德学院毕业典礼上的讲话
世界经济论坛东亚峰会即将在泰国举行
英语演讲:卓别林有史以来最伟大的演讲(双语视频)
英语听力:奥巴马Facebook座谈会,扎克伯格当主持
英国公开大学:10分钟了解英国史(双语字幕)
TED演讲:畅想电子游戏
英语听力视频:西藏先心病儿童来京手术
林书豪搞怪视频:教你如何上哈佛(中英)
英语听力视频:"最美女教师"张丽莉术后恢复
英语听力视频:防晒产品超高SPF是骗局?
英语听力:中国南方多地遭遇强降雨袭击
同传现场:胡锦涛夏威夷会见奥巴马谈双边关系(视频)
英语听力:从A到Z解读英国女王伊莉莎白二世
英语听力:马来西亚巧克力糖果乐园 陪孩子们过假期
英语听力:墨西哥克雷塔罗州发现猛犸象牙化石
李开复俞敏洪电视英语携手亮相 幽默教学
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |