Renovations to the vehicular passageway beneath the Gongbei Checkpoint plaza were completed on Dec 18 with upgraded lighting, ventilation, and transport functions.

In addition to increased traffic supervision equipment, the parking layout and driving rules in the passageway have been revised to prevent congestion, ensure smooth flow, and facilitate traffic law enforcement. The taxi stand has been relocated to the east-west auxiliary road, opposite its former location. The private vehicle and coach pick-up areas are now on the west-east auxiliary road, and bus stops are near the newly earmarked exclusive bus lanes.

Vehicular passageway beneath Gongbei Checkpoint plaza [Photo by Shen Yang / Zhuhai Daily]

The roads are paved with high-quality asphalt concrete, which is a more durable pavement with reduced dust and noise. The height above the arterial and auxiliary pavements is increased to allow the transit of double-deckers and large deluxe coaches.  

As in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge tunnel, interior walls along the entrance ramps and pillars are covered with white enameled steel plates, while about 17,000 sq m (20,332 sq yd) of ceiling is aluminum. Both materials resist abrasion, corrosion, and fire, are easy to clean, and reduce potential hazards.

Meanwhile, newly installed energy-efficient LED lamps are six to seven times brighter than the previous ones. They are evenly distributed along the driving lanes to ensure safety.

A full-color intelligent LED display screen at the entrance has replaced traditional traffic signs for a better vision effect. In addition, the use of large-discharge exhausters greatly improves internal air quality.

Gongbei Checkpoint is the largest land checkpoint in the country. Its under-plaza passageway, which opened in 1999, connects Lovers Avenue in the east and Changsheng Road in the west. The arterial roads feature a dual six-lane structure, and both sides of the auxiliary roads have taxi and private vehicle stopping areas.