Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

GET ready for worse traffic this weekend with the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day, on its way, the city’s traffic police department reminded.

The Qingming Festival, falling on April 4 this year, is the traditional time for Chinese people to pay respects to their deceased ancestors.

The traffic department suggested tomb sweepers and holidaymakers arrange their time to respect their deceased ones or make spring outings so that there would be less traffic and people could pay respects to their ancestors without creating chaos.

Police will impose traffic controls on roads to the city’s major cemeteries like Dapeng Bay Overseas Chinese Cemetery in Yantian District, Bao’en Fudi Cemetery in Xili and Jitian Cemetery in Shawan between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the holiday period from Saturday to Monday as congestion is likely in some areas, traffic police said.

The past weekend had seen a surge of tomb sweepers at the cemeteries to mourn their deceased ones. The parking lots near the cemeteries had been nearly fully parked with cars after 7 a.m.

Free toll admission on highways during the Qingming Festival holiday, the combination of tomb sweepers going back to hometowns, and people undertaking spring outings, will bring huge pressure to highways.

Traffic on expressways is expected to be heavy because more local residents tend to go for short trips as they had stayed put in the city for the Spring Festival holiday. The Qingming Festival is the first holiday after the Spring Festival and the COVID-19 prevention and control had become a routine.

Drivers are advised to avoid traveling between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday as well as between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, during which periods the traffic is expected to be the heaviest.