Illustration: Diagram of BRT at Dongshan Avenue

　　On March 14, a Hollywood blockbuster “NEED　FOR　SPEED” is about to be released in China. Last year, another American movie "Fast and Furious 6" swept the Chinese film market, which left a deep impression on Yichang fans.

　　Yichang’s transportation also “Need for Speed”.

　　The road is a direct approach for a city to extend its urban functions. Owning to the construction of roads, the countryside can have access to residential and commercial areas, which highlighting its modern charm.

　　Good roads means a high speed. Yichang traffic network is developing at a high speed.

　　A fast traffic network of "Two horizontal and two longitudinal"

　　A good road makes a city more memorable. In the early spring, everyone is busy at the construction site of Dianjun Avenue project. According to Yuan Qinghua, Director of Bridge Office of the Municipal Construction Committee and general manager of Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge Construction Investment Co., Ltd, the construction of Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge is far more significant than a cross-river access, thanks to the synchronized construction of Dianjun Avenue.

　　Dianjun Avenue, which was originally called Dongyue No.2 Road, is the first project constructed since the launch of Yichang’s fast traffic network construction plan last year. The first section of the project will be open to traffic and water-stable layer in the second section will also be completed this year. The construction party introduced that, Dongyue No.2 Road being renamed Dianjun Avenue just highlights the importance of Dianjun New District. According to head of the Municipal Construction Committee,” We used to focus the construction on central urban areas, which will be gradually shifted to new districts or rural areas.”

　　Both constructions of Dianjun New District in the south of Yangtze River and Wujiagang New District in the north of Yangtze River accelerate the expansion of Yichang city. They require convenient transportation to gather popularity as well as decentralize the heavy traffic flow. On this basis, fast road network is about to support the structure and helps to connect its urban and rural areas.

　　It is easy to discover from Yichang traffic network in recent two years that “two horizontal and two longitudinal" traffic network is under construction in Yichang. Three projects are under construction, namely, Dongshan No.4 Road, Dianjun Avenue and Huaxi Road. Three projects are to be constructed, namely, Xiazhou Avenue, Jiangcheng Avenue and extension of Xiling No.2 Road. In the future, a great outer ring connected by Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge and Wujiagang Yangtze River Bridge  will be completed.

　　In early January, reconstruction project investigated gradually at Xiling No.2 Road. Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge in the north is adjusted to be constructed as viaduct and tunnel, extending to 403 region at Xiling No.2 Road.

　　The fast road features a speed at no less than 60 kilometers per hour with no traffic lights. It can be predicted that the traffic network in Yichang will effectively ease the traffic pressure in the central urban area. Besides, it will also help to connect Yichang people with beautiful countryside sceneries.

　　It is planned that Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge and Dianjun Avenue will be open to traffic synchronously, which has aroused a hot topic among Yichang citizens. The journey from Yichang to Changyang will be greatly shortened if they go through Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge and Dianjun Avenue. “ lt will not be a dream to work in Yichang during daytime and live in Changyang by the Qingjiang River at night after the completion of the network.”

　　BRT helps to ease traffic pressure

　　Since late last year, BRT has been continuously publicized on the largest LED screens, which has left impression on Yichang citizens who passed by the Yiling Square.

　　On February 25, Dongshan Avenue BRT project was launched. What benefits will it bring to Yichang? After its completion, Dongshan Avenue will be broadened to six lanes from four lanes, two of which will be BRT lanes. Buses and other vehicles can be exactly split to improve traffic efficiency.

　　It is calculated that buses can speed up by 80%, from less than 10 km / h to 26 km / h in rush hours. And also, other vehicles can speed up by 30%; traffic capacity can be increased by 50%.

　　In fact, Yichang is now under expansion constructions in order to break its single city center pattern. Major employment in the single city center is causing too many traffic jams during rush hours. On the other hand, exhaust emissions has put serious impact on environment, which needs to be balanced urgently. At the end of 2012, when a group of experts from the U.S. Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) came to Yichang for inspecting, they judged that BRT is a compromise between light rail and highway.

　　Compared to rail transit, BRT can save a huge amount of investment and construction costs, and it can be completed within two years, a much shorter construction time. It does not reduce the existing service level by solving traffic problems effectively. BRT is quite suitable for the current social and economic situation in Yichang .

　　The first BRT is planned to open to traffic in June 2015. Yichang people will greatly benefit from it.

　　Zeng Wei, who can’t afford to buy a house in the city center, is now working in a financing institution. If he buys a house in rural, he has to buy a car to drive to and from work. “At present, my wife and I rent a house nearby. It is quite possible to go to work by bus after the completion of BRT. My mother no longer has to worry that we can’t afford a house. ”

　　In this year’s construction program, traffic network has been modified to traffic ring network  to avoid "dead-end road". If fast roads act as an outer ring, then BRT will no doubt to make inner transportation more convenient. However, rail transit is still necessary for Yichang to develop into a megacity in the future.

　　Take Wuhan as an example, it has officially entered the Metro Times since the first subway line connected three towns in the New Year in 2013. It has been no longer difficult to take a taxi around railway stations and shopping centers and the travel time between Hankou and Wuchang has been greatly shortened.

　　"Yichang City Comprehensive Transportation System Plan" (2011-2030) , evaluated last year, planned to construct three rail transits and five BRTs. Rail transit shares 30% of various public transportations.

　　It is reported that the three rail transits of a total length of 124 km, will be launched next year. In January, the Municipal Bureau for Urban Planning publicized three recommended lines. Line 1 starts from Chenjiafan in Xiaoxita to Longquan Town with a total length of 43.5 km and 26 stops. Line 2 starts from Yiling Square to Baiyang in Zhijiang with a total length of 48.7 km and 18 stops, including some large flow stops, such as Yunji Road Business Center, Yichang Railway Station, Yichang East Railway Station and Qiuyutai. Line 3 stars from Hongyanzi in Xiaoxita to Yichang South Railway Station with a branch line from Olympic Sports Center to Dianjun Industrial Park. The total length is 31.8 km with 18 stops. These rail transits will play an important role in connecting main areas around Yichang as well as supporting a fast and convenient transportation.

　　Relying on the recent fast roads, BRT and rail transit in the future, the transportation between major areas of the city will be within 60 minutes and 30 minutes within an area.

　　Yichang traffic network is developing at a high speed. (Newspaper reporter Zhao Wei)