北京开通首条自行车专用“高速”路 Beijing opens its first bicycle highway

Beijing's first dedicated bike highway, from Huilongguan to Shangdi, seen here on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The highway opened on Friday, May 31. [Photo: IC]

Beijing's first bicycle highway opened on Friday, connecting(连接 liánjiē ) Huilongguan(回龙观), one of the capital's most populous residential zones(住宅区 zhùzhái qū) in Changping District, with Shangdi(上地), a rapidly developing high-tech industrial zone(工业区 gōng yè qū) in neighboring Haidian District.

Beijing's first dedicated bike highway, from Huilongguan to Shangdi, seen here on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The highway opened on Friday, May 31. [Photo: IC]

The 6.5-kilometer-long track has over 5,000 accompanying parking(停车 tíngchē) spaces. It is designed to allow cyclists to travel at an average speed(速度 sùdù) of 20 kilometers per hour. Reversible lanes(潮汐车道 cháoxī chēdào) will be put to use in rush hour to relieve(缓解 huǎnjiě) congestion(拥堵 yōngdǔ).

Beijing's first dedicated bike highway, from Huilongguan to Shangdi, seen here on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The highway opened on Friday, May 31. [Photo: IC]

About 370,000 residents live in Huilongguan but work in Haidian. The new bicycle highway can cut the commute time(通勤时间 tōngqín shíjiān) for cyclists from an average of 40 minutes to just 26 minutes.

重点词汇 Key word:

专

• <形容词 adj.> only; unique; particular
  E.g. Zhè zhǒng yàopiàn zhuān zhì gǎnmào.
  这种药片专治感冒。
  The tablets are a specific for cold.

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  在中国烟草实行政府专卖。
  In China tobacco is a government monopoly.

• <形容词 adj.> for a particular purpose, occasion, etc.
  E.g. Zhè jiān wūzi shì zhuānmén yònglái kāihuì de.
  这间屋子是专门用来开会的。
  This room is given over to meetings.