The Phase-I project for Subway Line 1 in Changzhou began the full-scale construction on Apr 2. Six cities in Jiangsu province, namely Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Changzhou and Nantong, have become “subway cities” so far, making Jiangsu a province with the most subway cities in China.
Subways have entered a rapid development era in Jiangsu – six subway lines will be put into operation in Nanjing, with one for each year on average, by 2021. Suzhou has had two subway lines covering up to 52.296 kilometers, and its Subway Line 5 is estimated to start construction by the end of this year. Wuxi has had two operating subway lines, with the planning of Subway Line 3 completed. Xuzhou’s planning of 5 subway lines has been approved by National Development and Reform Commission. In Nantong, the environmental impact assessment for the Phase-I project of Rail Transit Line 1 and Line 2 is underway.
With subways put into operation, a city’s development pattern is changing quietly. “Subways have shortened the space-time distance among areas of a city, and have changed the city’s development pattern while dealing with traffic jams. Subways have greatly boosted the update of the industries and businesses along the lines, created more jobs and changed the population layout,” said Li Ming, chief engineer with Jiangsu Institute of Urban Planning and Design.
