Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Success: Massive Public Transport Developments and Major Road Traffic Reduction

Beijing introduced a number of innovative traffic management measures to deliver reliable transportation for the Olympic Games while keeping residents and commuters moving and reducing air pollution. This article highlights the success of transportation operations during the Olympic Games in Beijing. More than $20 billion was invested over seven years for transportation-related projects, including a massive extension and renovation of the Beijing metro system. The metro system was expanded from a 3-line system to a 7-line system, including an airport dedicated rail link. Since most transportation of Olympic athletes occurs by bus, a fleet of 2000 buses was deployed for this purpose. In addition, 300 km of temporary Olympic reserved lanes were implemented to allow congestion-free road travel. Sixty days of traffic reduction measures before the Olympics started improved air quality. A great deal of the success of the Olympics transportation operations can be attributed to innovative planning and cooperation as well as lessons learned from previous Games.