International garden expo ready to bloom

As of Friday, 90 percent of construction for the expo had been completed and a wetlands project in the expo park was finished, Xu said.

Meishikou Road, which will be 8.5 km long when construction is finished in late April, was listed as one of the key projects under the municipal government's plan to boost development of the southern area.

That road will help ease traffic and connect the two sides of the Yongding River in Fengtai district, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

In all, 24.2 km of roads are being built nearby to support the expo and improve traffic conditions in the western area along Yongding River.

According to Beijing's traffic authority, the western section of subway Line 14 will open on May 5, in time to serve crowds attending the expo, including Garden Expo Station.

According to Xu, the design and construction of the expo featured energy conservation and environmentally friendly concepts.

Wetlands surrounding the 40-hectare park will purify 80,000 cubic meters of recycled water a day, ensuring good water quality, block wind and reduce dust in the air, and make the temperature difference between day and night more even.

The expo park site used to be barren ground, covered with sparse vegetation. After construction, 147 hectares of green area will appear in the site.

jinhaixing@chinadaily.com.cn