Xizhimen Viaduct is Too Confusing
By Jian Shuo Wang on 2009-02-14 23:14 · BeijingIf you have a chance to visit Beijing, besides Tiananmen Square, you have to visit the Xizhimen Viaduct 西直门立交桥. I am quite amazed by how confusing it is. I always wanted to drive on that bridge, because it is a serious challenge for anyone’s IQ.
The big interchanged was built about 10 years ago to solve the complicated transportation problems. After 4 years of design, and 200 million RMB to build, the viaduct becomes a headache for drivers. News about drivers spent hours on the viaduct often appear on newspaper. Let me examine this wonderful viaduct.
The “Classical” Xizhimen Bridge Challenge
Imagine that if you are driving from the west to east to the viaduct, and you want to turn right to south bound (a typical right turn scenario), you would expect to directly turn right at the viaduct. The ridiculous thing is, there is no right turn lane. The correct answer is:
Turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right, turn right….
If you are lucky enough, and at every turn, you cleverly identify the correct lane, then you can get to the direction. The real situation is, very limited number of drivers can figure it out. They often find themselves driving toward a highway leaving Beijing. Drivers who ever found out the right road even cannot make sure the next time, he is as lucky as the previous time.
Below is the diagram of the viaduct. It is not the problem of Google. The calculated everything right.
The route in the diagram only lead you to the south bound direction, not on the expressway. If you want to stay in the second ring road (the express way), below is how you can do it.
Amazing, isn’t it?
12 Comments
Xizhimen is called in Beijing Subway forums as 西直人流 (the flowing masses at Xizhimen), inspired after the Beijing Subway switched to four-character station names such as Jintai Xizhao (金台夕照) on Line 10.
Easier to flip to the 2nd Ring Road southbound if you exit Xizhimen Outer Street ahead of time, use Zhanlanguan Road south for one crossing, flip east to Chegongzhuang Street, and then head right (ie south) onto the side road of the 2nd Ring.
The world wonders why it was built and how to climb out once you fall in. It is like a deep, bottomless well, only horizontal.
I do not drive but I did see it and ride in taxi around it several times in Beijing. One time the Taxi took the wrong lane wait so long, driver finally agreed to shut the meter off. Not funny but funny.
I remember the original bridge, it was much simple and better. In fact I have the old fond memory of passing there years ago when they used to store the cabbage on the road in a big pile. If still did that today, the drivers would get out of their cars to cook dinner and eat the cabage, no time penalty. Then fewer peope would starge to death on the Xizhimen Viaduct. Perhaps I should put that in the Beijing city suggestion box.