Shenzhen has recently completed renovation of the Meilin and Nantou checkpoints, easing greatly the traffic congestion at the two checkpoints by widening the road, erecting footbridges and creating different lanes for cargo vehicles and passenger vehicles

The 100 million yuan (US$12.3 million) renovation project was finished on schedule by the end of last year, according to the city's construction authorities.

Besides pedestrian overpasses, bus stations, U-turn lanes and plantings, new toilets were also added at the two checkpoints for the convenience of pedestrians and drivers.

The renovation of the Meilin checkpoint covered an area of 280,000 square meters. It includes 150,000 square meters of road renovation and 130,000 square meters of plantings.

At present, more than 80,000 vehicles pass through the Meilin checkpoint every day. The traffic flow through the checkpoint during peak hours has recorded an annual growth rate of 31.1 percent.

Before renovation, the Meilin checkpoint had three main problems, which were the lack of a bus stop, the poorly planned U-turn lane and the use of the same lanes for pedestrians and vehicles.

With a bus stop and a pedestrian overpass built at the checkpoint, buses have been separated from the rest of traffic to provide more convenience and safety for passengers boarding or getting down from buses.

The U-turn lane at the checkpoint has also been enlarged.

A new pedestrian overpass was built inside the Nantou checkpoint while the old one outside the checkpoint was renovated.

Two bus stops and two U-turn lanes were also added to the Nantou checkpoint to increase the traffic flow.

In recent years, with Shenzhen's rapid economic growth and urban development, an increasing number of large residential compounds have been built outside the special economic zone.

The increase of pedestrian and traffic flow, which caused traffic congestion and jams at the Meilin and Nantou checkpoints, have long plagued the city's residents.

(Shenzhen Daily January 5, 2006)