Olympic-inspired Transportation
News about the upcoming Beijing games has flooded the headlines. You can’t open a magazine or flip through the digital TV channels without being flogged by the events to jumpstart on 8-8-08. And a lot of this coverage has highlighted China’s attempts to clean house before company comes.
While I’m still undecided on how much we should praise China after years of pollution, cutting corners, and questionable politics, it appears that others are finding inspiration in Beijing’s newly-turned over leaf.
As China experienced economic boom, and a relaxation of car ownership laws, Beijing residents flocked to driving. With a population of over 17 million, that’s a lot of traffic. Add to this glut of cars, the fact that the Beijing Organizing Committee forecasts two million visitors to the Games, and there could be a big issue getting around town.
To address the needs of attendees, Beijing has implemented some changes. Change number one is reducing the number of cars on the street. Not only has the government launched a campaign to encourage bike riding, the primary mode of transport for 39 percent of the population already, but it has also restricted when cars can be on the road based on odd and even license plate numbers. This rule could make renting a car for travel in the area difficult. That and the rental requirements, which include a driver’s license issued by the Beijing traffic management bureau, a visa and an ID card.
While some attendees may opt to go the route of renting a car with a hired driver, a popular way around the requirements of personal rentals, or hopping into a taxi, others will rely on what the official website of the games promises to be the “fastest” mode of transportation: the subway (or metro.) The city plans to have three new lines open for the games, and for the subway to run ‘round the clock for the opening and closing ceremony days. Olympic ticket holders will ride for free throughout the event.
It’s this new subway plan that has lured Chicago mayor Richard Daley to visit China. As a contender for the 2016 Summer Games, Chicago is hoping to refine its bid by evaluating how to move people around the different facilities. Beijing has promised that all event venues will be no more than 30 minutes from Olympic Village. Chicago may be able to promise the same, or they may just develop a plan for balancing current traffic needs with the influx of event attendees.
Can other cities also benefit from rethinking their transportation plans, even if they aren’t Olympic contenders? Could we all adopt the driving every other day system? Or opt for public transportation everyday?
Quite possibly. And regardless of past practice, and maybe even concerns about what may happen to Beijing’s new plan after the Olympics are over, perhaps we should take inspiration from wherever we can.
For more on how Beijing plans to help attendees get around, check out news agency Xinhua’s “Moving in Beijing Series” at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/14/content_8544214.htm
December 3rd, 2010 at 7:40 pm
very good \o/