Chongqing's Skybridges are Too Confusing! Pedestrians Struggle Due to Congestion
A friend who recently visited Chongqing from a province outside said her impression was that the night views were beautiful, the prices were low, the food was delicious, there were many bridges, and the streets were high.
I took a bus from Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, and the curb height there was almost a meter. I don't understand why Chongqing builds such high curbs. It refreshed my understanding of roads.
And, please, no more bridges for me. I've crossed them three or four times in a single day, and just seeing the stairs makes me want to cry.
This feeling is shared by many locals, especially her opinion on bridges, which really speaks to my own experience. It's almost a universal sentiment.
Chongqing's complex traffic situation dictates that its bridge numbers won't be low, and the number continues to increase to further alleviate traffic congestion.
Every time I pass a large intersection and see a majestic bridge in the distance, I can't help but sigh: 'Another uphill climb.'
These steep, straight ramps are the worst; the most terrifying are those spiral staircases – every time I climb these bridges, I think, 'Designer, couldn't you have given us a larger slope?'
When I lived in my previous apartment, the moment I stepped outside, I faced a huge bridge. Because the stairs were spiral-shaped, residents didn't take it seriously, and they were willing to risk being hit by a car to cross the street.
This is an indication of poor behavior, but this fact also shows from another angle that, to facilitate vehicle traffic, pedestrians have lost many of their rights.
According to a statement released by the Chongqing Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Commission, Chongqing will build 30 new bridges and underground passages in the main urban area by the end of December 2020. Yuzhou, Dagudao, and Jiulongpo will build 2, Shapingba will build 8, Beibei and Panshan will build 3, Yuxia will build 4, Nanhai will build 5, and Jiangbei will build 1. All of these have recently started construction.
With them, Chongqing residents' travel will surely be more convenient, but it will also be more tiring. If citizens are tired of climbing complex ramps, they may still cross the street.
Why doesn't Chongqing equip its main urban bridges with elevators or straight staircases?
A few days ago, I went to Chaoyang Lake and discovered that the Daxiangchang Bridge near the intersection of Kecong Road in Jiulongpo District was equipped with a straight elevator – this design immediately lifted my spirits, who was just lamenting crossing the street. Trying it out, the feeling of going up and down without climbing stairs is wonderful.
This design should be tried in the main urban area – even if it cannot be newly built, it should maintain existing elevators, because this can not only improve the use of bridges, but also facilitate those with mobility impairments.
What are your feelings about Chongqing's bridges? Do you think elevators are necessary for bridges?
