The slow traffic system is an urban transportation system that mainly incorporates non-motorized or low-speed transportation modes like walking and cycling. The system is designed to solve the problem of conflicts between high-speed and low-speed traffic, to improve the residents' quality of life and to create high-quality urban public spaces. More and more people are choosing green travel through the urban slow traffic system and are thus able to enjoy the slow and charming life of the city.
China's urbanization has been advancing rapidly and urban spaces have become three-dimensionally compact, while urban development has changed from incremental expansion to inventory optimization. As a result, new challenges have been posed for the construction of urban bicycle lanes, whose design should be planned and executed at three levels: macro, meso, and micro.
Macro Level: Emphasize the construction of a complete cycling network as the core. Differentiate bicycle lanes based on the functional divisions of urban areas, maintain network continuity through the use of existing branch roads or the allocation of independent spaces, and link transportation hubs, resource points, and landscape nodes to constitute an organic whole. Besides, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data technologies can be integrated with cycling facilities for systematic management, thereby solving issues such as tidal flow scheduling and random parking.
Meso Level: Ensure the safety and comfort of users and provide a diverse range of functional landscapes. Slow traffic infrastructures can be utilized in a multi-functional way, and a variety of different scenarios can be created through the use of techniques such as "borrowing scenery", "revealing scenery", and the combination of flat and three-dimensional landscapes. Three-dimensional transportation can be developed to enhance traffic efficiency, plants can be used to elevate spatial hierarchy, and regional cultural elements can be mixed in to strengthen people's cultural identity and create unique urban landscapes.
Micro Level: Concentrate on ecological and landscape aspects and blend green design with public services. The green belts along cycling lanes can be used to not only enhance the local climate but also preserve biodiversity. Different materials and colors for the hard landscapes, interactive soft landscapes, and warm lighting design can all contribute to enhancing the spatial experience and thus assisting in the creation of a vital and organic cycling system.
Applications
Environmental Sustainability: From the point of carbon reduction and emission mitigation, by walking and cycling rather than using high-carbon-emission cars as an option (which are responsible for an extremely high proportion of urban transportation carbon emissions, e.g., 84% in New York), very good results have been achieved. For example, the European Union (EU) is cutting its carbon emissions by more than 16 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually through cycling. Besides, cycling is a means to lessen noise, air, and other types of pollution – the EU is saving 435 million euros yearly in the costs related to the abatement of air pollution which is caused by cycling. It also helps in energy saving: if the cycling level were to remain as it was in 2018, the EU would be able to save more than 3 billion liters of fuel per year.
Social Development: In the optimization of urban space, the action of putting a stop to cars taking over public spaces and thus allowing the restoration of a human-oriented slow traffic environment is beneficial. Copenhagen, Denmark is a good example that has constructed an age-friendly city where children can safely play on the streets. As to the economic vitality, the improved slow traffic facilities can raise the land value. Europe cycling tourism is worth 44 billion euros annually and creates 520,000 jobs, thus it is more powerful than the cruise ship industry. Furthermore, cycling lessens social costs by mitigating traffic congestion (the EU experiences over 240 billion euros in annual losses due to congestion). In Copenhagen, cycling is responsible for the creation of a net benefit of 0.21 US dollars per kilometer.
Personal Life: For health, cycling is a good mix of travel and exercise – doing it for 30 minutes a day can lead to a reduction in cardiovascular diseases by more than half. From the point of efficiency and cost, bicycles are more rapid in densely populated areas: Beijing’s first exclusive bicycle lane is able to cut commuting time by one-third and the cost of cycling is 70% cheaper than that of driving. For the improvement of quality of life, cities with well-functioning slow traffic systems (e.g., Amsterdam) can ensure safe and comfortable traveling experiences to their residents; the majority of adult cyclists in the Netherlands, i.e., 2 out of 3, say that they are happy with their cycling experience.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
1. When and where will the Expo be held?
The Expo is scheduled from May 13–15, 2026, and will be held in Hall C, Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center (XICEC), Xiamen, China.
2. What is the exhibition scale?
The event covers an area of 40,000 m², comprises 350+ companies, and is expected to have 30,000+ professional visitors from worldwide.
3. What activities are included?
There will be more than 80 professional forums and events that will discuss smart mobility, transportation communication, safety, and sustainable development as their topics.
4. How many countries and regions are involved?
Participants from 80+ countries and regions will be present, thus making it a global conference for intelligent transportation innovation.
5. Are there opportunities for cooperation?
Indeed. With more than 1,000 worldwide partners, the Expo is a place full of opportunities for business collaboration, technology interchange, and investment.
6. Who can I contact for details?
If you want to know more, please contact the Organizing Committee via the Contact Us section of the official website.
