6th Ring Road

The 6th Ring Road (六环路, 六環路, Liu Huan Lu) is an expressway ring road in Beijing, China which runs around the city approximately 15-20 kilometres from the centre of the city.

Although it is the city's fifth ring road, it is, oddly enough, named the 6th Ring Road.

Route
The 6th Ring Road runs within the confines of the municipality of Beijing. It is one of the most circular routes but still remarkably rectangular. It is on the outer fringes of Beijing, and even beyond Beijing Capital International Airport. The expressway ring road is the only one to link with the equally remote Jingha Expressway.

Basic Route: Liuyuan Bridge (六元桥) - Liqiaozhen (李桥镇) - Sanhui Bridge (三惠桥) - Zhangjiawan (张家湾) - Majuqiao (马驹桥) - Huangcun (黄村) - Liangxiang (良乡) - Mentougou (门头沟) - Zhaikou/Wenquan (寨口/温泉) - Xishatun (西沙屯) - Gaoliying (高丽营) - Huosiying (火寺营) - Liuyuan Bridge (六元桥)

Note: Portions under construction or under projection are in italics.

Tongma section
In late 2000, the southeastern stretch from Sanhui Bridge (interchange with the Jingha Expressway) through to Majuqiao (interchange with the Jingjintang Expressway) was put into operation. The route was first referred to as the projected 2nd Expressway Ring Road, much like the 5th Ring Road was once referred to as the 1st Expressway Ring Road; however, the long name was ditched in favour of the present-day 6th Ring Road.

This stretch of the expressway ring road is referred to as the Tongma section (公路二环通马段) and is 26.15 km in length. It passes through the Jingha Expressway, Jingjin Highway, and the Jingshen Expressway, ending in Majuqiao at the intersection with the Jingjintang Expressway. All of the expressway ring road lies in Tongzhou District.

Changping-Tongzhou Section
By 2002, a very long section starting in Xishatun (interchange with the Badaling Expressway) through to Sanhui Bridge, as well as a stretch from Majuqiao through to Huangcun/Shuangyuan Bridge (interchange with the Jingkai Expressway), were complete and opened to the general motoring public.

Southwestern 6th Ring Road

 * Construction: Begun in April 2005
 * Completion: 14:00 on December 20, 2005

Another 23 km of the expressway ring road opened on December 20, 2004, at 14:00 local time, with over a month's delay. This section is the southwestern 6th Ring Road (西南六环).

Construction of the southwestern 6th Ring Road got underway in April 2004 as part of a dual project, which also involved the construction of the northwestern 6th Ring Road.

By summer 2004, the bridge over Jingzhou Road (where the ring road soars 13 metres over ground level) was completed. More and more of Liyuan Bridge took its form until its completion in October 2004. Finally, the road was opened to traffic at 14:00 on December 20, 2004. Toll gate personnel in the region started distributing leaflets announcing the opening of the new ring road stretch for a few days after the road was opened.

This section of the 6th Ring Road was originally conceived to open by November 2004. It was the only expressway which was opened to traffic for all of 2004. (The northwestern stretch, which was also under construction as of April 2004, moved over to a delayed opening set for late 2005.)

The southwestern 6th Ring Road used a new signage system for the lanes. Gone was the overtaking lane; it was replaced by the "car lane", which was reserved for passenger car use. The right lane remained the "carriageway" and was for the use of all vehicles. Speed limits -- which varied with each lane -- were also signposted, and road markings indicating the maximum and speed limits made it on to the expressway.

The southwestern 6th Ring Road runs from Huangcun in Daxing all the way to Yanshan in Fangshan. It heads west of the Jingshi Expressway -- it actually did not end at the intersections to the Jingshi Expressway.

Northwestern 6th Ring Road
The 20 km section of the ring road will open in late 2005, having being delayed for over a year.

Western 6th Ring Road
This section is still undergoing planning.

History
By 2002, over 50% of the expressway ring route was opened to traffic, spanning from the northwestern end linking with the Badaling Expressway to the southern end linking with the Jingkai Expressway.

The 19.6 km northwestern segment (heading west) from Xishatun near Changping District to Wenquan in Mentougou District, and a 23.8 km portion connecting with the Jingshi Expressway and Liangxiang from the Jingkai Expressway were slated for November 2004. The portion Xishatun - Wenquan has been delayed until early 2005; despite this, the southern stretch opened on December 20, 2004

The tallest viaduct so far for Beijing, that at the elevated crossroads of the 6th Ring Road with Jingzhou Road, has been completed. The 6th Ring Road soars a magnificient 13 metres over a Jingzhou Road of height 6 metres above ground. A very long bridge -- Dingshui Bridge (定水桥), 2,564 metres in length -- is on this stretch of the road, too.

The remainder of the 6th Ring Road will tackle with the mountainous terrain in west Beijing's Mentougou District. A portion of the expressway will interlink directly with the district town of Mentougou.

Due to the tough hilly terrain in the west, completion in full of the expressway ring road is yet to be completed; full completion is expected as early as 2005. By early October] 2004, a basic projected route appears to have been finalised.

Speed Limit
Minimum speed limit of 50 km/h, maximum 100 km/h, throughout. Potential speed checks at Zhangjiawan and 500 metres to the east of Yongdingmen/Langfang exit; otherwise, none. It is not rare for passenger cars to zip well in excess of that speed limit, while to see lorries underperform in speed.

Southwestern 6th Ring Road: carriageway-separated; note: there are no "overtaking lanes" on this part of the ring road; left lane, maximum speed limit 100 km/h, minimum 80 km/h, designated "car only"; right lane, maximum speed limit 100 km/h, minimum 60 km/h, designated "carriageway".

Speed checks are at:
 * Exit No. 49 (Mafang), both directions
 * Exit No. 11 (Jingha Expressway), both directions
 * Exit No. 13 (Jingshen Expressway), both directions
 * 500 m east of Exit No. 18 (Yongdingmen/Langfang exit)

Tolls
CNY 0.5/km, minimum charge of CNY 5, based on price for a small passenger vehicle. There have been (a few) calls to eradicate all toll gates within the confines of, and including, the 6th Ring Road. However, little to no action have been taken on this matter. Linked with Jingshi, Jingcheng, and Jingkai Expressways toll systems. Caveat emptor! The stretch between Sanhui Bridge and Zhangjiawan charges an excessive CNY 10 for just 9 km of the expressway. For direct connections to Beijing city, use instead Majuqiao exit; total tolls (including subsequent expressways) are just the same as the Zhangjiawan exit. (Applies only for traffic from the Jingha Expressway, and only for traffic originating from Tongzhou.)

Lanes
4 lanes (2 up, 2 down) throughout.

Surface Conditions
Best in the southwestern stretch; other parts are variable.

Traffic Conditions
No traffic jams apart from the exit at Xishatun.

Major Exits
Xishatun, Gaoliying, Sanhui Bridge, Zhangjiawan, Majuqiao, Huangcun/Shuanghui Bridge, Liyuan Bridge

Service Areas
None; Beihuofa Service Area is projected (E. 6th Ring Road), as is a gas station on the Southwestern 6th Ring Road

Connections
(Starting as of Exit No. 1, Jingmi Road (京密路))


 * Projected Jingping Expressway (京平高速公路): Would most likely connect near Liqiaozhen.
 * Jingha Expressway (京哈高速公路): Sanhui Bridge.
 * Jingshen Expressway (京沈高速公路): Zhangjiawan.
 * Jingjintang Expressway (京津塘高速公路): Majuqiao.
 * Jingkai Expressway (京开高速公路): Huangcun/Shuangyuan Bridge.
 * Jingshi Expressway (京石高速公路): Liyuan Bridge
 * Badaling Expressway (八达岭高速公路): Xishatun.
 * Jingcheng Expressway (京承高速公路): Gaoliying (for the time being, only heading for Laiguangying and central Beijing).

Vast Distances
At distances 20 kilometres from the centre of town, the expressway covers a vast distance. Equally vast is the distance between two points.

For example, the distance between Jingtong Expressway to Jingshen Expressway is approximately 2 kilometres on the 4th Ring Road. It expands to nearly 4 kilometres on the 5th Ring Road. On the 6th Ring Road, 10 kilometres elapse from one expressway to the other -- and the Jingtong to Jingshen Expressway (on the 6th Ring Road, the Jingha to Jingshen Expressway) is one of the shortest distances between expressways in Beijing.

Anything up to 30 - 35 kilometres can lapse between the Jingcheng Expressway and the Jingha Expressway.

For most people, travel on the 6th Ring Road is extremely rare. Although, strictly speaking, it's still on the perimetres of city limits, this is one massive ring road to travel around.

Exits
Symbols: &#x2197; = exit (&#x2715; = closed); &#x21C6; = main interchange; S = service area;

Northern 6th Ring Road (北六环)

 * &#x2715; Road further west (NW) blocked by portion under construction
 * &#x21C6; 46: (Interchange with Badaling Expressway) Qinghe, Changping (八达岭高速公路: 清河, 昌平)
 * &#x2715; 47: Beijing Higher Education Park (北京高教园区)
 * &#x2197; 49: Baishan, Shahe (白善, 沙河)
 * &#x2197; 51: Beiyuan, Xiaotangshan, Mafang (北苑, 马�?�)
 * &#x21C6; 52: (Interchange with Jingcheng Expressway) Miyun, Laiguangying (京承高速公路: 密云, �?�广�?�)
 * &#x2197; 53: Huoshenying, Sishang (�?�神�?�, 寺上)

Eastern 6th Ring Road (东六环)

 * &#x21C6; 1: (Interchange with China National Highway 101) Jingmi Road (京密路)
 * &#x2197; 3: Nanfaxin, Shunyi (�?�法信, 顺义)
 * &#x2197; 4: Shunyi South Ring Road (顺义�?�环路)
 * &#x2197; 6: Liqiaozhen (�?�桥镇)
 * &#x2197; 8: Tuanli (疃里)
 * &#x21C6; 9: (Interchange with Jingha Expressway) Harbin, Beijing (京哈高速公路: 哈尔滨, 北京)
 * &#x2197; 11: Tianjin, Tongzhou (天津, 通州)
 * &#x21C6; 13: (Interchange with Jingshen Expressway) Shenyang, Beijing (京沈高速公路: 沈阳, 北京)
 * &#x2197; 14: Ciqu, Shibalidian (次渠, �??八里店)
 * &#x21C6; 15: (Interchange with Jingjintang Expressway) Jingjintang Expressway, Majuqiao (京津塘高速公路, 马驹桥)

Western 6th Ring Road (西六环)

 * &#x2197; 31: Yanshan, Liangxiang (燕山, 良乡)
 * &#x2715; Remainder of Western 6th Ring Road is under projection