The Guomao Bridge “Urban Living Room” Opens: A Stroll Through the Meandering Corridor

A garden has been created under the Guomao Bridge,

transforming what was once a dull, gray space into

a pedestrian-friendly corridor filled with vibrant flowers and verdant plants.

Traffic flow here has seen significant improvement.

The expanded leisure area has become a popular spot,

where many residents now enjoy taking a relaxing stroll.

……

Come explore the CBD’s “Urban Living Room”,

and embark on a leisurely urban journey.

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01

/Space Renewal/

Transforming the Area Beneath the Guomao Bridge into an Urban Garden

The Guomao Bridge is a key junction connecting the East Third Ring Road with Chang’an Avenue and a landmark within the core area of the CBD in Chaoyang District. In response to the public demand for safer, more convenient travel and enhanced public spaces, Chaoyang District, Beijing, has launched a comprehensive renovation and upgrading project of the Guomao Bridge area to create a more livable and business-friendly urban environment.

Stretching 1.1 kilometers from Tonghuihe North Road in the south to Guanghua Road in the north, the renovation covers 143,000 square meters, with a focus on improving the quality and efficiency of 54,000 square meters beneath the bridge. Emphasizing multi-functionality, ecological livability, smart and efficient infrastructure, and cultural prominence, the project has reshaped the under-bridge space from a single-purpose passageway into a comprehensive corridor with diverse functions, making improvements in transportation, landscape, and environment.

Walking beneath the newly unveiled Guomao Bridge, visitors are greeted by the Meandering Corridor decorated with vibrant flowers and verdant plants on both sides. This new landscape gives fresh impetus to this place. Approximately 20,000 square meters of new greenery have been planted, creating a multifunctional pedestrian corridor that runs through the under-bridge area.

02

/Transportation Efficiency Improvement/

Cutting Crossing Time in Half and Boosting Traffic Capacity

In addition to the overall enhancement of the environment,

this renovation has improved both traffic capacity and safety.

Through viable methods, such as redesigning intersection layouts,

widening and reconstructing lanes, introducing a physical separation zone separating motorized and non-motorized lanes,

and optimizing and adjusting bus stops,

it has improved traffic efficiency.

In terms of traffic function optimization, pedestrians enjoy greater convenience when crossing the road here. The east-west crossing distance at the Guomao Bridge area has been reduced from 170 meters to 107 meters, cutting the crossing time from 120 seconds to just 76 seconds. The number of vehicle lanes between Guanghua Road and Tonghuihe North Road has expanded from three to four, boosting capacity for motorized traffic.

Additionally, a 1.7-kilometer physical separation zone now separates motorized and non-motorized lanes, with a dedicated 4.5-meter-wide non-motorized lane that effectively eliminates safety risks posed by mixed traffic. Moreover, eight bus stops have been optimized and adjusted to alleviate congestion. There are 4,000 square meters of new non-motorized parking spaces under the bridge, providing 1,400 new non-motorized parking spots. These facilities have effectively resolved parking challenges in the area.

The successful transformation of the Guomao Bridge area

offers the renewal of Beijing’s urban public space

a replicable blueprint that can be practiced citywide.

This hidden garden corridor beneath the bridge

becomes a new focus that invigorates urban life.

Come stroll and take a break in the Guomao Bridge area,

and experience the unique charm of Beijing’s CBD.

(Source: WeChat Official Account of Chaoyang District, Beijing)