China News Service, January 30. According to the official Weibo of the Road Network Monitoring and Emergency Response Center of the Ministry of Transport, in order to effectively ensure the national highway transportation services during the Spring Festival, the Road Network Monitoring and Emergency Response Center of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Security jointly The Road Traffic Safety Research Center, the Public Meteorological Service Center of the China Meteorological Administration, the Planning and Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport, Qianfang Technology, Amap, and Baidu Maps organized a joint study and evaluation consultation on road network operations during the Spring Festival holiday. The relevant situation is now reported as follows:
1. Overall characteristics of highway network operation
The 2024 Spring Festival holiday is from February 10th (the first day of the first lunar month) to February 17th (the eighth day of the first lunar month), a total of 8 days. The free passage time for small passenger cars with 7 seats or less (including 7 seats) is from 0:00 on February 9th to 24:00 on February 17, a total of 9 days. It is expected that during the Spring Festival, the weather conditions across the country will be generally conducive to travel, and some areas may experience periods of low-temperature rain and snow. Taking into account factors such as highway traffic travel patterns, holiday duration, weather conditions, free passage of passenger cars, etc., it is expected that the national road network operation during the Spring Festival in 2024 will exhibit the following characteristics:
(1) The average traffic volume during the Spring Festival exceeded the same period in history
It is estimated that during the Spring Festival (including New Year's Eve), the average daily traffic volume of highways nationwide will be approximately 50.3 million vehicles, an average daily increase of approximately 11.6% compared to the same period during the Spring Festival in 2023. The peak traffic volume during the entire Spring Festival occurs on the last day of the Spring Festival holiday (the eighth day of the first lunar month), and is expected to reach about 65.2 million vehicles, setting a new high for Spring Festival traffic in previous years.
National highway traffic forecast during the Spring Festival in 2024
(2) Passenger cars account for a high proportion of self-driving cars, while trucks operate at a low level
It is estimated that during the Spring Festival, the average daily traffic of passenger cars on highways across the country will be about 48.9 million, and the proportion of passenger cars in passenger cars is expected to reach more than 99%. Truck traffic decreased day by day before the Spring Festival, reaching the lowest value on the first day of the first lunar month. After the Spring Festival holiday, it gradually returned to daily levels, but truck traffic is expected to increase year-on-year.
Forecast of national highway passenger and cargo traffic during the Spring Festival in 2024
(3) The flow rate is low at first and then high at the end, and return trips are concentrated.
During the Spring Festival holiday, road network traffic will show the characteristics of "low at first and high at the end". Traffic on the road network will reach the holiday low on New Year's Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year. From the second day of the first lunar month, the traffic on the road network will gradually pick up. On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the traffic on the road network will be concentrated on return trips, with the highest peak during the Spring Festival. The tidal characteristics of the departure during the Spring Festival and the return in the later part of the festival are obvious. 9-12 o'clock and 14-19 o'clock are the periods prone to congestion.
National highway congestion forecast during the Spring Festival in 2024
(4) The traffic volume of ordinary national and provincial highways is stable and the peak value is not obvious.
It is estimated that during the Spring Festival (including New Year's Eve), the average daily traffic volume on ordinary highways will be approximately 7,800 vehicles, an increase of approximately 8.2% year-on-year in 2023, as shown in Figure 4. Compared with expressways, the traffic volume of ordinary highways is relatively stable during the Spring Festival, with no significant peaks. It drops significantly before the holiday, reaches the lowest value on New Year's Eve, and picks up after the third day of the Lunar New Year.
National traffic volume forecast for ordinary highway sections during the Spring Festival in 2024
2. Research and Judgment of Congestion Points
(1) Slow-moving road sections prone to congestion
During the Spring Festival, highway sections across the country are expected to be prone to congestion and slowdowns, as shown in the table below.
Indicates slow-moving roads prone to congestion during the Spring Festival
(2) Slow traffic toll stations prone to congestion
During the Spring Festival, toll stations across the country that are expected to be prone to congestion and slowdowns on highways are as shown in the table below.
Indicates slow traffic toll stations prone to congestion during the Spring Festival
(3) Busier service areas
During the Spring Festival, highway service areas across the country are expected to be busier, as shown in the table below.
Table of busier service areas during the Spring Festival (full text and charts are from the official Weibo of the Road Network Monitoring and Emergency Response Center of the Ministry of Transport)
3. Travel tips for the public
The first is to remember the free period and enjoy the preferential policies to the maximum extent. The toll-free time for toll roads is based on the time when the vehicle leaves the expressway exit toll lane. For vehicles that are still driving on the highway before the free period is about to end, it is recommended to choose the nearest toll station according to the actual location and time to leave the highway to avoid safety accidents caused by rushing for time or speeding, and at the same time, you can maximize the enjoyment of the free policy .
The second is to pay attention to traffic information and plan your trip reasonably. Before traveling during the holidays, you can obtain road conditions and the real-time status of charging infrastructure along the highway through the official WeChat Weibo of the public security and traffic control department, the "China Road Network" WeChat Weibo, the "e Road Smooth" WeChat applet, traffic broadcasts, navigation maps and other channels , traffic management and other information, plan your travel route in advance, try to avoid slow-moving road sections (toll stations) with heavy traffic and prone to congestion, closed road sections and construction work sections affected by bad weather.
The third is to pay attention to weather conditions and pay attention to driving safety. Please check the weather conditions in time before traveling. In case of bad weather, please slow down, increase the following distance, and reduce lane changes to overtake to prevent traffic accidents. In the event of an emergency, deceleration measures should be taken in advance to avoid sudden braking and sudden steering to prevent the vehicle from slipping and rolling over. In the event of a vehicle breakdown or traffic accident, "vehicles pull over, people evacuate, and the police are called immediately."
Fourth, choose lanes rationally and pass through toll stations in an orderly manner. "Free dedicated lane" guidance signs are set up at the entrances and exits of each toll station. You should choose the correct lane to pass through to avoid disorderly crossing and causing congestion at the toll station. Small passenger cars with 7 seats or less without ETC equipment should choose free dedicated lanes; vehicles with ETC equipment should choose ETC lanes; trucks and passenger cars with 7 or more seats without ETC should choose mixed lanes. When traveling in the ETC lane, you should keep a certain distance between vehicles and slow down to avoid rear-end collisions, collisions with poles, etc.