Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    YOUR drive across Shenzhen should be a little bit faster thanks to a traffic light revamp at over 1,000 intersections across the city.

    “Shenzhen police have taken down the signs that ban vehicles from turning right (on red) at more than 1,000 intersections,” said Liu Yi, deputy section chief with Shenzhen Municipal Traffic Police Bureau.

    Intersections that don’t allow right turns on red will rely on arrow-shaped lights to show which direction a driver is not allowed to turn.

    Whether or not right turns on red are allowed will be determined by the time of day at certain intersections. Depending on the time, a red traffic light will either be displayed as an arrow — which would not allow a turn — or it will be displayed as the standard circle — which would allow the driver to turn on red.

    It’s hoped the new traffic light signaling system will improve traffic flow.

    To improve road efficiency, police will limit red traffic lights at crowded intersections to 200 seconds during rush hour and to 120 seconds during the nighttime.

    Police will also introduce more reversible lanes during rush hour this year, after successful trials at the intersections of Huanggang-Sungang roads, Caitian-Sungang roads and Caitian-Huafu roads.

    Left-turning vehicles will be allowed to pass through a lane originally for traffic traveling in the opposite direction.

    Police will also change the red lights for left-turning vehicles on Fumin Road, Lianhua Road and Hongli Road at intersections with Xinzhou Road, to improve the efficiency of left-turning vehicles.

    The improvements will also unify control over traffic lights at 1,200 intersections, which will reduce congestion.

    Residents can call 8393-5877 or send an email to jtxh@stc.gov.cn to give suggestions.

    Starting from July, police will upload traffic light information online for the public to know about the settings of traffic lights.