Traffic won't be a problem, says 2008 Olympic chief

BEIJING -- Like many other metropolises, Beijing has long been plagued with serious traffic congestions, but the 2008 Olympic chief believes that new roads and subways and better traffic management would ensure a smooth Olympics.

"We have already made progress in unlocking traffic jams thanks to efforts that include expanding public transportation and building new highways to the city's suburbs," said Liu Qi, President of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG).

"We are also considering strengthening traffic control during the games time, such as instituting special lanes."

"I am confident that traffic won't be a concern in August, 2008," he added.

With just two years remaining before the Olympic Games opens in Beijing, the Chinese capital is getting closer to meeting the standards of an Olympic host, Liu said.

"Our preparatory work is progressing very well as planned," said Liu. "Beijing's conditions are almost ripe for the Olympic Games."

Beijing plans to build or refurbish 31 venues in the city for the Games, which will take place from August 8-24, 2008.

"Twelve brand-new venues are all under construction, and by the end of this year we will start renovation of all the existing venues," said Liu.

"By the end of next year, all competition venues will be in place for the test events," he added.

After winning the Olympic bid, Beijing promised to make itself an "ecological city" with "green hills, clear water, grass-covered ground, and blue sky."

According to the State Environmental Protection Administration, the central and Beijing governments has invested nearly 100 billion yuan (12.5 billion dollars) to fix the city's air pollution problems.

Beijing has replaced hundreds of coal-burning boilers with gas-based ones, improved the city's vehicle emission standards and upgraded the quality of fuel for automobiles.

In addition, Beijing had started moving the capital's worst polluter, stated-owned steel giant Shougang Group, out of its western suburbs and suspended operation of Beijing Chemical Works.

"It was a bitter but important decision," said Liu, who had previously worked in the Wuhan Steel and Iron Factory for more than 20 years.

Liu noted that more needs to be done in pollution control and prevention, despite much progress has been made over the past few years.

"There is still a distance from our goal of 'Green Olympics', so we have to step up our efforts in the next two years," he said.