Shenzhen roads to be (even more) fucked in 2008
Shenzhen is apparently accelerating the construction of the new lines (or trying to catch up on behind schedule projects?) meaning 2008 will see hundreds of new construction sites all opened up at the same time, unsurprisingly leading to huge transport disruption.
SHENZHEN will see about 18 months of serious traffic congestion starting from the end of this year, caused by the construction of five Metro lines in five districts.
A total of 150 construction sites will be seen around the city along the planned Metro lines, affecting traffic on 24 main roads and at 37 intersections within the Special Economic Zone, according to a government announcement published in Chinese-language newspapers yesterday.
The Shenzhen Metro is supposed to be all finished by 2011, with the aim to relieve pressure on the roads, where the number of cars is growing 20 percent year on year.
The 2 obvious points that seem to be missed are that:
- People with a car are extremely unlikely to stop using their car and use the metro instead. Maybe in other parts of the world, but not SZ, where a car is a hard-won status symbol still. (And the new metro lines, presumably, will be like lines 1 and 4 when they opened up: 1 train going up and down, and 20 minute waits at soulless underground stations.)
- The problem with Shenzhen is not really the density of traffic. You get that in any city. It’s a total lack of transport control. Almost total absence of transport police. Dangerous, rule-less driving. People leaving their cars in the middle of the highway to argue over a small scratch for two hours. Maniac bus drivers who used to drive minibuses and now drive the big ones with the same king of the road mentality.
Putting out a bulletin to warn people about transport disruption, without any description of how the disruption can be controlled, is just another example of the problem: lack of road transport control/policy.
Anyway, better stop complaining. It’ll all be fine by 2012.
