Traffic signs benefit people’s travel and play important functions on traffic safety and smoothness. In recent years, the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau put great efforts on construction and perfection of a high technology direction signs system that is easy to understand..

The direction signs are based on various factors, such as:

The sizes of signboards (2 X 4, 1 X 2 meters) are designed to take into consideration safety and wind resistance, according to Beijing Municipal Designing Institute;

The size of Chinese characters used on the boards is about 40-cm according to international practice and best visible effect;

Geographic names of the signs are strictly used and based on standard maps, or offered by Geographic Names Office of Beijing Municipal Planning Committee;

The unified sign pattern is defined by experts. Signs on ring roads and highways focus on the key traffic places and flyovers (overpass), signs on urban roads focus on local roads and places;

English signs designed according to international standards, the size of English words accounted 1/3 or 1/2 of Chinese words in height, and the translation is strictly based on Section 1: Highway Communications of Bilingual Signs in Public Places of Beijing Standards；

The location of signboards followed the Facilities Standards of Beijing Traffic Management and considered visional results and reactions. Commonly, road signs set 200 meters away from the crossing and toward front direction.

Actually, the design and location of direction signs in Beijing greatly satisfies people’s travel and enjoys high technology and rigor.

The new direction signs system of Beijing is designed and implemented in 2003 after a series of investigation, analysis and tests.

Beijing’s streets in eight districts are shaped like a chessboard and radiate to a rotary traffic system. Based on this specialty, BTMB organized a group of experts and relevant staff to investigate direction signs at home and abroad, they visited Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Xiamen, as well as big cities in Europe, America, Japan and South Korea. They also investigated drivers’ demands and sent more than 2,000 questionnaires to drivers at 13 transportation departments; and obtained data and information from 11 entry and exit stations surrounding Beijing. Special seminars were also held with participants of  the Traffic Management Bureau of Ministry of Public Security, Highway Academic Institute of Ministry of Communications, Beijing Municipal Designing Institute and Beijing Industrial University, collected suggestions from 16 large-sized departments and enterprises, including the Beijing Federation of Trade Unions and the Shougang Group.

The Beijing Direction Signs System created contains sub-systems of common road, urban ring-road and radiating roads direction systems.

The three direction systems interact with each other, and are based on a certain rule. They are easy to understand and use. The following is a detailed introduction:

Direction signs on common roads

Direction signs located at each crossing of a road (including attaching roads of ring-road and roads under flyovers) are connected to each other. People can get information from these direction signs during traveling; names of places are the main information. Direction signs also provide the main routes and hubs in nearby cities, as well as public places.

Main information indicates the road being entered.
Attaching information indicates the place is available to reach.

English signs are based on Section 1: Highway Communications of Bilingual Signs in Public Places of Beijing Standards effected on March 22, 2006.

Taken Hepingli crossing as an example:

The direction sign located at Ping’anli crossing, from south to north of Xisi North St. In the middle of the signboard is a cross graphic, indicating driving direction and way. Above it indicating the name of the road, is the main information telling the road being entered. The attaching information at the top right of the board indicates north second ring road and the Jishuitan flyover can be reached via Xinjiekou South St. The two sides at the bottom of the board indicate the name of next place and road. The signboard also provides effective and standard English.

Urban ring-road direction signs system

Multi-forecast system for the exit of ring road

It indicates the front three exits at each crossing and set up forecast signs board for each flyover and exit.

Take Guangqumen Overpass exit as an example: on the second ring road Zuo’anmen overpass set up a board indicating Guanqumen overpass is 3.3km away. It is repeated on the next overpass sign and moved to the outside position until reaching the overpass. A picture seen at Guangqumen Overpass indicates the exit and series signs.

Number of ring road: the number is blue or green on a white oval-shaped baseboard.

The number started at Beijing-Chengde Expressway in clockwise order on both internal and external ring road. The number on internal and external ring road of a same overpass remains the same; Use A and B attached to the number of overpass representing entry and exit. A means entering Beijing, B means exiting Beijing. That’s simple for recognizing, such as at exit of Sihui Overpass, the sign 10A indicates entering Beijing and Guomao Overpass, and 10B indicates leaving Beijing to Beijing-Tongzhou (Jingtong) Expressway, east fifth ring road and Tongzhou.

Forecast system on radiating road to indicate expressway and national road

It is set up along the ring road to forecast the nearby expressways and national roads. It provides names and distances of the three forward highways or national roads crossing the ring road.

Moreover, according to Beijing’s streets condition which combines with ring roads, expressways and national roads and radiate to the outside, BTMB also set up a three-level direction forecast system on ring roads.

Such as at Sifang Overpass, east forth ring road from south to north exit, a forecast board set up indicating: Jingtong Expressway 4km, Airport Expressway 9.5km, Jingshun Highway 10.5km and the numbers of highways and national roads. This information greatly benefits people driving and traveling.

Direction signs system for radiating roads

It mainly includes direction signs for entry and exit of Beijing.

Entry signs: forecast three (or two) front ring roads or flyovers, name and distance of Beijing outskirts county and region (including national road and the number).

Exit signs: forecast one forward urban ring road (overpass), name and outskirts county and above county administration region (including national road within the radiating road).

Direction of Entry

Direction of Exit

The construction of Beijing’s direction signs system has developed rapidly in recent years and enjoys first level both in home and the world. It plays unique functions at various streets, roads, highways, overpasses, main lines and branches with each of its design and system.

BTMB plans to further complete direction signs system on fifth ring road, none lighting control crossings, large residential areas and development district as well.