Capital to expand public transportation

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Beijing is planning to further develop its public transportation network, and 46 percent of residents are expected to travel by subway and bus this year, authorities said.

In 2012, more than 20 million daily journeys were made by public transport in the capital, and 44 percent of commuters used public transportation, according to the Beijing Commission of Transport.

The proportion was the highest in the country in 2012, and it is expected to reach 50 percent in 2015, Beijing Daily reported on Dec 5.

However, during bad weather and holidays, Beijing's traffic system often experiences delays.

The traffic congestion index within the Fifth Ring Road, Beijing's main urban area, will not rise above 5 in 2013, the commission said on Wednesday in a statement.

The index, introduced in 2007, indicates the general traffic situation on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating the heaviest traffic.

On Dec 28, snow caused heavy traffic on city roads in the late afternoon, and by 6 pm the traffic index within the Fifth Ring Road reached 9.5.

To ease traffic congestion, Beijing will develop a rapid public transport network of more than 600 km, including subway lines and a bus system, the commission said.

Tong Lihong, a manager at Beijing MTR Construction Administration Corp, said on Wednesday that at the end of 2013, extensions of lines 8 and 14 and a connection line between Line 8 and the Changping Line will be opened.

Construction of the last two stations of Line 10 is scheduled to be completed in May, making it Beijing's second subway loop line and the longest in the city, Tong said.

According to the Beijing Commission of Transport, the capital now has 442 km of subway lines, the longest in China. By the end of 2013, it will reach 465 km.

To make public transportation more attractive, Beijing will continue to develop park-and-ride lots, with up to 10,000 spaces for vehicles.

In 2013, the capital will also develop short community bus lines as well as high-end bus lines for private-vehicle owners and businesspeople, the commission said.

Questions:

1. What percentage of Beijing residents are expected to use public transportation this year?

2. What is the traffic congestion index?

3. How long are Beijing’s subway lines?

Answers:

1. 46 percent.

2. It indicates the general traffic situation on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating the heaviest traffic.

3. 442 km.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is also fluent in Korean.