Beijing builds the central cultural and transportation corridor, Wanning Bridge is renovated and the "Central Imperial Road" is connected
2024-08-08
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China News Service, Beijing, August 8 (Reporter Lv Shaowei) "Beijing Central Axis - A Masterpiece of China's Ideal Capital Order" was successfully included in the World Heritage List. For this 7.8-kilometer-long urban axis that runs through the north and south of the old city of Beijing and is the longest in the world, the Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission, in accordance with the relevant work requirements for the application for World Heritage status of the Central Axis, has taken the application for World Heritage status of the Central Axis as the overall guide, highlighted cultural functions, and highlighted fine governance. It has organized and implemented a series of projects including the Wanning Bridge repair project, the South Central Axis overhaul project, and the Yongdingmen Inner Street overhaul project. Through road maintenance and repair, the historical features of the Central Axis are further restored, the traffic quality of the Central Axis is effectively improved, the harmonious coexistence of social traffic needs and historical and cultural protection is promoted, and the road function is transformed into a traffic corridor that showcases the cultural value and connotation of the Central Axis.
Wanning Bridge Renovation Serves Traffic Front Line, Ancient Stone Bridge Rejuvenated
Wanning Bridge, known as the "first bridge on the central axis", is one of the 15 heritage elements of Beijing's central axis. This single-hole solid-belly stone arch bridge built in the Yuan Dynasty is the oldest bridge on the central axis and the only Yuan Dynasty bridge in Beijing that is still serving social transportation. In 2020, the renovation of Wanning Bridge was listed as a key project in the application for World Heritage status of the central axis, and became the first cultural relic bridge renovation project organized by the Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission's Urban Maintenance Center. The project was successfully completed in 2023, giving new life to this ancient stone bridge that still serves the front line of transportation.
According to the Urban Maintenance Center of Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission, Wanning Bridge on the central axis has had outstanding transportation functions since ancient times. There is a city road on the bridge deck, Di'anmenwai Street runs through it from north to south, and a canal flows east to west under the bridge. It was once used by grain boats to transport goods. It was a transportation hub of the capital, and it is also an ancient stone bridge that is still in service. Road traffic needs and the protection of historical and cultural cities have been given equal importance in the renovation project.
The picture shows a corner of Wanning Bridge. Photo provided by Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission
To this end, the Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission Urban Maintenance Center used advanced 3D laser scanning, geological radar scanning and other modern scientific and technological means to conduct a comprehensive "physical examination" of the Wanning Bridge, obtaining detailed bridge structure and material data, providing a scientific basis for precise repairs. At the same time, through static and dynamic load tests, the bridge's bearing capacity was scientifically evaluated, providing strong support for the formulation of reasonable traffic management measures.
During the repair process, the principle of "minimum intervention" was strictly followed to preserve the original components and style of the bridge as much as possible. In response to problems such as stone cracking and joint shedding, after consulting a large amount of literature, cultural relics experts and experienced technical workers, traditional ancient restoration techniques were adopted, such as pouring peach blossom slurry to consolidate and seal, and re-pointing with small hemp ash, which not only effectively prevented external damage, but also maintained the ancient charm of the bridge.
In order to reduce the impact of vehicles on Wanning Bridge, after sufficient research and demonstration, we adopted measures such as resurfacing the asphalt surface and adjusting and optimizing the vertical and horizontal slopes of the bridge. The slope of the resurfacing asphalt is smooth and round, which reduces the driving vibration on Wanning Bridge. At the same time, a rubber asphalt waterproof layer is added under the asphalt, which has both waterproof and stress absorption functions, improves the waterproof performance of the bridge deck structure, and reduces the impact of vehicles on the bridge substructure.
During the renovation, the overall quality of the environment around the bridge was also improved. The part of the east wall of the bridge that was blocked by concrete was carefully cleaned and repaired to restore its original stone appearance. At the same time, the dirt on the bridge was thoroughly cleaned, making the Wanning Bridge appear to the public in a cleaner and more beautiful manner.
The South Central Axis Road was overhauled to achieve full access to the South Central Axis Imperial Road
The South Central Axis Imperial Road starts from Yongdingmen in the south and ends at Zhengyangmen in the north. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the "Central Imperial Road" that the emperor had to pass through to go to the Temple of Heaven to worship the heaven or to the Xiannongtan to help plow. The South Central Axis Road (Yong'an Road-Zhushikou Street) section, as an important carrier of the heritage of the central axis, is the last section of the southern section of the central axis that has not yet been planned. In order to improve the accessibility of the Imperial Road, the South Central Axis Road (Yong'an Road-Zhushikou Street) road project was listed as a key task for the Central Axis World Heritage Site and a municipal key project. The Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission Urban Maintenance Center organized and completed this significant overhaul project in 2019. The project starts from Yong'an Road in the south and ends at Zhushikou Street in the north. Although it is only 523 meters long, the project has opened up the last section of the Imperial Road and realized the full connection of the Central Imperial Road from Yongdingmen to Qianmen.
To ensure the historical authenticity and artistic value of the Central Imperial Road, the engineering team worked closely with cultural relics experts. The regulations of the Imperial Road were based on the existing Imperial Road ruins under the Zhengyangmen Tower and the measured data in the 1940s in the "Measurement Atlas of Ancient Buildings on the Central Axis of Beijing City". The stone materials, paving methods and road scales were all based on the old rules. The Central Imperial Road is composed of imperial heart stones, strip stones and inclined paving. The stone is blue-white stone, which has been strictly selected. A single piece of imperial heart stone weighs 1.6 tons, and a single piece of strip stone weighs 0.6 tons, showing a sense of grandeur and heavy history. Each brush path on the inclined paving was manually chiseled one by one, creating an ancient and vicissitudes of life. Following the ancient method and engraving the name of the craftsman on the object, each piece of stone is stamped with the name of the supplier, production date, and qualified seal to ensure that each piece of stone can be traced.
With the strong support of multiple departments such as planning, cultural relics, gardens, traffic management, and local governments, the overhaul project of the South Central Axis Road was rapidly advanced. The project was completed in 43 days, of which the stone masonry of the central imperial road took only 19 days, fully demonstrating the "craftsman spirit" of the participating units.
At the same time, the Urban Maintenance Center of Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission organized the completion of the construction of the South Central Axis Road (Beiwei Road-Nanwei Road) slow-moving system improvement project in 2023. Before the renovation, the central imperial road at the intersections of Nanwei Road and Beiwei Road of the South Central Axis was discontinuous. Pedestrians had to detour around the outer sidewalk at the intersection and wait for three traffic lights to reach the other end of the central imperial road. This renovation realized the interconnection function of the imperial road of the South Central Axis by adding pedestrian crossing light-controlled facilities, crosswalks and secondary crossing islands at the intersections of the South Central Axis and Beiwei Road and Nanwei Road, ensuring the safety and continuity of the slow-moving system of the South Central Axis, helping to achieve the construction requirements of the South Central Axis Road of "orderly space, coordinated landscape, complete style, smooth slow-moving, and clear signs", and serving the application for World Heritage status of the Central Axis.
The renovation of Yongdingmennei Street improves the traffic environment quality of the central axis
Yongdingmen Inner Street starts at the foot of the Yongdingmen Tower and ends at the intersection of Nanwei Road. With Yongdingmen in the south, the Temple of Heaven in the east, and the Xiannongtan in the west, it is not only an important corridor for urban transportation, but also a key link on the central axis that carries profound history and modern vitality. In order to cooperate with the application for World Heritage status of the central axis, the Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission Urban Maintenance Center organized the completion of the Yongdingmen Inner Street overhaul project in 2021, aiming to improve the regional traffic environment through road maintenance, while strengthening the protection of historical and cultural cities.
This overhaul adheres to the principle of "keep improving, meticulous craftsmanship" and has carried out a comprehensive and in-depth transformation of Yongdingmennei Street. The main engineering contents include: milling and paving of asphalt pavement to ensure smooth and comfortable road surface; improvement of slow-moving system to improve the safety and convenience of pedestrians and non-motor vehicles; at the same time, work such as restoration of markings, channel maintenance and bridge maintenance was also carried out to ensure that every detail of the road is in the best condition.
Through this overhaul, Yongdingmennei Street has a brand new look, which not only improves the travel experience of citizens, but also effectively optimizes the traffic environment quality in the central axis area.
Comprehensively strengthen daily maintenance of roads along the central axis
According to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Commission's Urban Maintenance Center, more than ten municipal roads along the central axis, including Di'anmen Inner Street, Jingshan Back Street, and Tianqiao South Street, are all included in the key road facility ledgers in key areas, and daily maintenance is organized with high road condition indicators, and road facility management along the central axis is implemented with high standards. Adhere to hierarchical and classified management, highlight key points, optimize the classification management list, and increase the intensity of typical disease management. At the same time, we will take the initiative to ask for needs, hold industry and street work meetings regularly, promote refined management and maintenance based on demand, improve the quality of road traffic in the central axis area, help all-round services to display the results of the World Heritage application and the unique value of the central axis, and further polish Beijing's historical and cultural "golden business card". (End)
