Huge traffic jam in China could last weeks

[Chronodiver Lokii]

BEIJING (Aug. 24) -- A massive traffic jam in north China that stretches for dozens of miles and hit its 10-day mark on Tuesday stems from road construction in Beijing that won't be finished until the middle of next month, an official said.

Bumper-to-bumper gridlock spanning for 60 miles (100 kilometers) with vehicles moving little more than a half-mile (one kilometer) a day at one point has improved since this weekend, said Zhang Minghai, director of Zhangjiakou city's Traffic Management Bureau general office.

Some drivers have been stuck in the jam for five days, China Central Television reported Tuesday. But Zhang said he wasn't sure when the situation along the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highway would return to normal.

The traffic jam started Aug. 14 on a stretch of the highway that is frequently congested, especially after large coalfields were discovered in Inner Mongolia, Zhang said. Traffic volume has increased 40 percent every year.

An epic traffic jam that started on Aug. 14 stretches dozens of miles in northern China. The gridlock is related to road construction that won't be completed until the middle of next month, an official said.

Drivers stranded in the gridlock in the Inner Mongolia region and Hebei province, headed toward Beijing, passed the time sleeping, walking around, or playing cards and chess. Local villagers were doing brisk business selling instant noodles, boxed lunches and snacks, weaving between the parked trucks on bicycles.

Though there were no reports of road rage violence, drivers complained about price-gouging by villagers who were their only source of food and water. A bottle of water that normally costs 1 yuan (15 cents) was selling for 10 yuan ($1.50), while the price of a 3 yuan- (45 cent-) cup of instant noodles had more than tripled, media reports said.

"A boxed lunch is 10 yuan ($1.50), and one box isn't enough for me," China National Radio cited a driver surnamed Lu as saying. "I'm spending up to 50 yuan (about $7.50) a day on food. It's more expensive than eating in a restaurant."

The highway construction in Beijing that is restricting inbound traffic flow and causing the jam "will not be finished until Sept. 17," Zhang said.

Authorities were trying to speed up traffic by allowing more trucks to enter Beijing, especially at night, Zhang said. They also asked trucking companies to suspend operations and advised drivers to take alternate routes.

China's roadways are increasingly overburdened as the number of private vehicles booms along with commercial truck traffic hauling materials like coal and food to cities. Traffic slowdowns because of construction and accidents are common, though a 10-day traffic jam is unusual even in China.

Associated Press researchers Zhao Liang and Yu Bing contributed to this report.

From AP news.
http://www.aolnews.com/world/articl...s/19605859?icid=main|aim|dl2|sec1_lnk1|165927

This is quite astounding to read about. I hope they fix this ASAP. I feel really bad for everyone stuck in this

 

[El Nino]

An epic traffic jam

Lol. "Epic"?

Though there were no reports of road rage violence, drivers complained about price-gouging by villagers who were their only source of food and water.

I <3 you, China. If that happened in LA the whole city would be on fire.

 

[Geist]

Oh man that would suck to be stuck in your car like that.
But for some reason I can't stop laughing at this.

 

[ru5514n]

And I thought being stuck in traffic for five hours was bad.

 

[NixxxoN]

it's china

enough said

 

[Luigitoilet]

I think it's kinda funny that there are so many people in China that there can't be a tiny earthquake without killing 250,000 people and injuring many more.

 

[Jonas]

There's too many cars in the world. What's wrong with bikes and public transportation?

 

[Xyro77]

its not the cars. its the fact that china has over 1 billion people living in it

 

[NixxxoN]

its not the cars. its the fact that china has over 1 billion people living in it

its mostly that China grows too fast economically and too many people are getting cars at the same time, and their roads are getting overloaded.

Because Japan has also overpopulation problems but they are well prepared

 

[Mota]

Haha overpopulation, surprised we don't hear about these types of traffic jams in China more often.

I'd park the car, lock the doors and walk home until the traffic cleared.

 

[Jonas]

its not the cars. its the fact that china has over 1 billion people living in it

Yes, and everyone has a car


durrrrrrrr

 

[Luigitoilet]

Haha overpopulation, surprised we don't hear about these types of traffic jams in China more often.

I'd park the car, lock the doors and walk home until the traffic cleared.

This is probably what many people are doing and it's making things worse.

 

[Rici]

This is another reason to get my motor cycle license.

 

[El Nino]

its not the cars. its the fact that china has over 1 billion people living in it

No it isn't.

If you've ever tried to go anywhere on the 405 or 101 in LA, you probably know that it's not population size that matters; it's population density. And here, rapid industrialization is another factor. China is tapping into it's natural resources, starting up mining operations and the like, and that is creating a lot of traffic because things have to be transported. But government construction of roads hasn't kept up with demand.

If there's anything I've learned about people in China though, it's that they don't expect much from the government or anyone else. I remember a story about Chinese miners in a collapsed mine who dug themselves out. I think that society breeds a certain mentality, one in which you must fend for yourself because, really, no one's entitled to jack ****. So, it seems people are making do. I'm amazed at the lack of road rage. If this were LA, the guns would already be out, and fools would be running around on fire.