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China's 12-Day, 100 KM Traffic Jam: Administration Sweats, Billions Lost.
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News18•27-09-2026, 07:56
China's 12-Day, 100 KM Traffic Jam: Administration Sweats, Billions Lost.
- •In 2010, a massive 100-kilometer traffic jam occurred on the Beijing-Tibet Expressway near Beijing, China.
- •The jam lasted 12 days, with vehicles moving only about 1 kilometer per day, forcing people to live on the roads for extended periods.
- •Key causes included ongoing construction, heavy truck traffic, and vehicle breakdowns on the expressway.
- •Stranded individuals paid exorbitant prices for food and water, with instant noodles reportedly selling for up to 3,000 rupees.
- •Administration cleared the jam by diverting traffic and removing broken-down vehicles, resulting in an estimated 1 billion yuan economic loss for China.
Key Questions Answered
The massive traffic jam occurred in August 2010 on the Beijing-Tibet Expressway (China National Highway 110) near Beijing, China, stretching for about 100 kilometers and lasting for 12 days.
The severe traffic congestion was caused by ongoing construction work on the expressway combined with a massive volume of heavy trucks carrying coal and construction materials from Mongolia, worsened by broken-down vehicles and limited road space.
The administration managed the crisis by stopping and diverting incoming vehicles to prevent further accumulation, clearing broken-down vehicles from the road, and continuously monitoring traffic until normal movement was restored at the end of August 2010.
