Vehicle's average speed during rush hours in Shenzhen in 2021 was 25 kilometers per hour, the best among first-tier cities, a report released by Shenzhen transport commanding center showed Tuesday.

The whole transportation network’s rush hour index during workdays in 2021 was 4.3, up by 8.4 percent over that of 2019, which means the traffic was heavier last year.

In 2021, Shenzhen’s traffic improved with the opening of the Outer Ring Expressway (Phase I) and the renovation of Shahe West Road and Nanping Expressway (Phase II). The opening of the Outer Ring Expressway (Phase I) improved evening rush hour traffic from “slow” to “basically smooth.” The traffic index for the renovation of Shahe West Road and Nanping Expressway (Phase II) was 4.6, down by 6.5 percent compared to the index prior to its opening.

Data showed that traffic in Luohu, Nanshan, Futian, Longhua and Longgang districts was heavier and these areas had the “slow traffic” status. Among the top 10 congested areas, five were in Luohu District and Guiyuan Subdistrict was the most congested subdistrict in Shenzhen with average vehicle speed of 16.8 kilometers per hour.

In the last two years, the traffic situation in Yuehai Subdistrict, Nanshan District has worsened with its traffic congestion index rising by 17.5 percent and 19.6 percent over 2019 and 2020, partly because of the area’s Metro projects. Guimiao Road in Nanshan District is the most congested road section with workday rush hour average speed of 13.6 kilometers per hour. The section of Yantian Road between Mingzhu Boulevard and Donghai Road is the most congested trunk road with an average speed of 7.5 kilometers per hour.

In contrast, traffic in the city’s east areas such as Dapeng New Area, Pingshan and Yantian districts was light and these areas had the “smooth traffic” or “basically smooth traffic” status. Biling Subdistrict in Pingshan was the least congested subdistrict with workday rush hour average speed of 39.2 kilometers per hour in 2021.