Avoid These Streets or Face Congestion Hell During the Two Sessions

There are only a couple of days to go before this year's postponed Two Sessions finally kicks off, which means our time to enjoy travel around the city unencumbered is limited (read more on what other restrictions will apply here). One positive is that this year's meeting between the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC), for which the meeting gets its namesake, will only run for one week, May 21-28, instead of the usual two. Add a couple of days on either end for people traveling into and out of the city, and traffic should be back to normal by May 30.

While we know that much, it's still uncertain what form this year's meeting will take. Usually, 3,000 delegates from around China travel to the capital to grease palms but given ongoing social distancing measures, it's still unclear how much if any of the program will move online in light of the pandemic. Nevertheless, those delegates that are here will spend a good portion of each day getting to and from the Great Hall of the People, where the meetings are held, as well as the all-important lunches and dinners in between. That means increased traffic and frequent roadblocks in major political areas (especially during rush hour) as well as around transportation hubs, according to a report from the Municipal Traffic Management Bureau via Beijing News. Add the fact that Beijing's license plate road use policy still remains on hold and you get the perfect storm for some tasty gridlock action.

If you value your sanity, avoid these areas

To be fair, if you need to commute to work there's unlikely much you can do to dodge the increased traffic we'll witness throughout the remainder of May. However, you may want to head out earlier or seek other means of transport so as to avoid the worst traffic.

Below are the areas that stand to be hit heaviest during morning rush hour:

• East, West, North Second Ring Road; Third Ring Road; East, North, South Fourth Ring Road; East, North Fifth Ring Road; Chang'an Street and Extension Line (Wukesong Bridge-Guomao Bridge), Guangqu Road, Fushi Road, Lianshi Road, Wanquanhe Road, and Zoo Road Viaduct. Additionally, the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, Beijing-Chengcheng Expressway, Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, Beijing Kaikai Expressway, Airport Expressway, and Jingtong highways such as Shuanghui Bridge to the Sihui Bridge will experience increased traffic into Beijing. Also, expect heavier traffic around China World Trade Center, Financial Street, Sijiqing, and Xinfadi.

During evening rush hour:

• Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Ring Roads, as well as Chang'an Street, Fushi Road, and east, west, and north urban areas. Roads such as the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, Jingcheng Expressway, Airport Expressway, and Jingkai, Jingtong Express, Fushi Road, and other connecting lines out of Beijing will also witness traffic jams.

Finally, cars without a Beijing plate will not be allowed to travel in these areas:

• Qianmen East Avenue (except west to Dongfu Road between Zhengyi Road and Taijichang Street), Qianmen West Avenue, Qianmen East Road, Beixinhua Street, Xijiaomin Lane, Dongjiaomin Lane (from the east side of the square to Taijichang Street), Dongrongxian Hutong, Bingbuwa Hutong, Shibei Hutong, Wangfujing Street (from Dongchangan Street to Dongdan), Dongdan Sandao (Wangfujing Street to Xiaowei Hutong Section), Dashamao Hutong, Donghuamen Street.

Phew. Time to dust off your bike.

READ: What to Expect When the Two Sessions Finally Hit Beijing Later This Month

Images: Beijing News, Shoudu Zhichuang