Beijing has made adjustments to more than 200 traffic signals along the city's main streets to optimize the time between green and red lights.
The signal cycles have been shortened by an average of 10 seconds, Friday's Beijing Morning News reported, quoting sources with the municipal traffic control bureau.
The traffic flow in Beijing has declined visibly due to the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which made the original timetable for traffic lights unsuitable.
The traffic signals at 42 crossroads were fitted with computerized real-time control and the signal cycles of more than 70 traffic lights along Chang'an Avenue and other main streets were all shortened by about 20 seconds.
The adjustment could ensure smoother traffic flow for the smaller number of vehicles in this particular period, said officials with the municipal traffic control bureau.
(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2003)
