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China's 50-lane expressway?

Started by Mergingtraffic, October 09, 2015, 05:45:33 PM

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Mergingtraffic

I read that the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway in China had a massive traffic jam where 50-lanes merged into 20. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/10/09/thousands-stuck-traffic-jam-beijing-china-highway/73644000/

I checked GSV but it shows the expressway over wooded area, so I can't see for myself.

Now, the story above seems to be stretched for the "WOW" factor.  Is it reaaaalllly 50-lanes wide or is it that wide at a toll booth?  To me, that makes a big difference. 
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MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/


1995hoo

#1
I saw something about that on TV last night. It looked like a toll plaza.

Edited to add: WTOP's story has a similar photo to what I saw on TV. http://wtop.com/world/2015/10/thousands-of-cars-stuck-in-beijing-traffic-jam-on-50-lane-highway/

The Daily Mail has far better, and far more, photos:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/peoplesdaily/article-3263440/Thousands-motorists-stranded-Beijing-motorway-incredible-50-lane-traffic-jam-week-long-national-holiday-wraps-up.html
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

cappicard

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on October 09, 2015, 05:45:33 PM
I read that the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway in China had a massive traffic jam where 50-lanes merged into 20. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/10/09/thousands-stuck-traffic-jam-beijing-china-highway/73644000/

I checked GSV but it shows the expressway over wooded area, so I can't see for myself.

Now, the story above seems to be stretched for the "WOW" factor.  Is it reaaaalllly 50-lanes wide or is it that wide at a toll booth?  To me, that makes a big difference.
It's at a toll booth or checkpoint. As the story says, but it's buried.

Chris

It is a 25 lane toll gate. The media likes to exaggerate things. The expressway was shut down earlier due to intense fog, exacerbating the traffic congestion towards Beijing at the end of the 'Golden Week' holidays.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.54883,116.03443,677m/data=!3m1!1e3

Alps

Quote from: Chris on October 10, 2015, 04:16:29 AM
It is a 25 lane toll gate. The media likes to exaggerate things. The expressway was shut down earlier due to intense fog, exacerbating the traffic congestion towards Beijing at the end of the 'Golden Week' holidays.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.54883,116.03443,677m/data=!3m1!1e3
Thank you. I was looking for a place to rant. 4 lane expressway, and the traffic jam definitely went beyond that hastily constructed checkpoint. That said, it's a huge bottleneck that takes away most of the width leaving the plaza.

Chris

This expressway has some interesting history. As one of the older expressways in China (probably built in the early 1990s) it had only four lanes. With the tremendous growth of traffic since, and expansion was necessary.

So what they did was close the entire expressway from Beijing to Shijiazhuang (100 miles) and then removed the whole expressway and then built a new eight lane expressway.

Here's a gif near Baoding:

triplemultiplex

Gee whaddya know, a headline about something crazy in China turns out to be bullshit.
How in the hell does 25 = 50?
"That's just like... your opinion, man."

davewiecking

Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 10, 2015, 05:25:45 PM
How in the hell does 25 = 50?
When you count both directions, each of which has a separate 25 lane checkpoint/toll plaza/whatever....

Alps

Quote from: davewiecking on October 10, 2015, 05:49:49 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 10, 2015, 05:25:45 PM
How in the hell does 25 = 50?
When you count both directions, each of which has a separate 25 lane checkpoint/toll plaza/whatever....
Alternatively, they saw more than 40 cars stacked across and assumed it was 50. (I counted about 45 lanes queuing for 25 tollbooths.)

formulanone

#9
Either 25 or 50, the numbers don't really matter...it's still a ginormous clusterfuck of a design. Hell, that makes the Garden State Parkway funnels look appetizing.

GaryV

Is lane-splitting legal in China?

(Ducks, and dons asbestos underwear)

Zmapper

Does China have any sort of electronic toll collection, or plans to introduce ETC?

Chris

Yes, there is a nationwide ETC system. There used to be separate systems for each province and autonomous region, but they became interoperable in 2014-2015. As of September 2015, there are 21 million transponders in use. But they do not have open road tolling as far as I know. They have the French-style, low-speed ETC systems through the traditional toll booths.

Fun fact: there are 12,000 ETC lanes and 50,000 manual lanes in China (source)

Duke87

Quote from: Alps on October 10, 2015, 09:36:18 AM
Quote from: Chris on October 10, 2015, 04:16:29 AM
It is a 25 lane toll gate. The media likes to exaggerate things. The expressway was shut down earlier due to intense fog, exacerbating the traffic congestion towards Beijing at the end of the 'Golden Week' holidays.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.54883,116.03443,677m/data=!3m1!1e3
Thank you. I was looking for a place to rant. 4 lane expressway, and the traffic jam definitely went beyond that hastily constructed checkpoint. That said, it's a huge bottleneck that takes away most of the width leaving the plaza.

Yeah, what the hell is up with that building in the middle of the road immediately after the toll plaza? The Chinese Stasi decide that the best way to limit travel was to literally obstruct it?
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

vdeane

Maybe it's one of those infamous buildings that never get removed because the owner didn't consent to leave? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Chris

According to historical imagery in Google Earth, this building was constructed at the same time as the enlarged toll plaza in 2014-2015.

It seems to be some kind of checkpoint.

GaryV

Quote from: vdeane on October 21, 2015, 01:06:28 PM
Maybe it's one of those infamous buildings that never get removed because the owner didn't consent to leave? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html

I thought that only happened to Bugs Bunny.

mrsman

Quote from: GaryV on October 21, 2015, 07:44:24 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 21, 2015, 01:06:28 PM
Maybe it's one of those infamous buildings that never get removed because the owner didn't consent to leave? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html

I thought that only happened to Bugs Bunny.

It's pretty ridiculous that this even happens.  I thought that China was a dictatorship and could force out those who were in the way.  Even in this country, for a public works project, we can use eminent domain.  Now, it is not easy to do, but at least it is possible.

kurumi

Quote from: GaryV on October 11, 2015, 01:37:20 PM
Is lane-splitting legal in China?

(Ducks, and dons asbestos underwear)


Looks like it is not. But that photo's from 1989.
My first SF/horror short story collection is available: "Young Man, Open Your Winter Eye"

vdeane

Quote from: mrsman on October 25, 2015, 08:44:09 AM
Quote from: GaryV on October 21, 2015, 07:44:24 PM
Quote from: vdeane on October 21, 2015, 01:06:28 PM
Maybe it's one of those infamous buildings that never get removed because the owner didn't consent to leave? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2236746/Road-built-building-couple-refuse-China.html

I thought that only happened to Bugs Bunny.

It's pretty ridiculous that this even happens.  I thought that China was a dictatorship and could force out those who were in the way.  Even in this country, for a public works project, we can use eminent domain.  Now, it is not easy to do, but at least it is possible.
At one time, they would have been able to.  But they must have forgotten to have eminent domain when they created private property rights.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.



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