The City with the Best Traffic Order in Northeast China: Civilized Driving Where Cars Yield to Pedestrians, Creating a Gentlemanly Demeanor for the City

Northeast China is an old heavy industry base with a relatively good economic foundation. Although the adjustment of industrial structure has brought great impact to the region, its development momentum has remained fairly positive. Generally, Northeast China refers to the three core provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin, and of course includes a few counties and cities in eastern Hulunbuir before the administrative division changes. Looking only at economic data, one might think the Northeast is not prosperous, but that is not the case. The historical culture, industrial foundation, and social undertakings of the Northeast are quite impressive. For example, there is an outstanding representative in urban development that boasts the best traffic order in the region. In the city center, you can see vehicles driving very cautiously and yielding to pedestrians under all circumstances. This mannerism exudes elegance and truly embodies a gentlemanly demeanor.

The clean, tidy, and grand urban construction immediately gives the impression of a major national city. I believe many people can already guess which city this is—it is Dalian, the economic powerhouse of the three northeastern provinces. Sometimes, social civilization is related to economic level. Dalian ranks first in economic output among all cities in the three northeastern provinces, so its urban construction and layout are also the best in the Northeast. However, what is most worth mentioning about Dalian is its excellent traffic order, which can be considered the best in the entire Northeast region.

Living up to its status as a nationally designated separate-planning city, the clean and tidy streets have cars parked in an orderly manner. Everyone instinctively arranges their vehicles neatly in designated parking spaces. The orderly rows of cars on both sides of the road clearly show how good Dalian's traffic order is.

The good traffic order in Dalian is not only reflected in orderly parking but also in the cautious driving of urban vehicles. They generally drive at low speeds, even in fast lanes, I saw this with my own eyes and was deeply impressed. The level of urban civilization is very high, matching the economic level perfectly.

Dalian's economic strength ranks first among all cities in the three northeastern provinces. According to official data estimates, in 2019, Dalian achieved a gross regional product of 700.1 billion yuan, which is over 500 billion more than the second-placed Shenyang's 647 billion yuan. Walking on the streets of Dalian, you not only see the buildings of a big city but also a blend of Chinese and Western influences, making it very interesting. This is a scene I captured last month at Dalian's Zhongshan Square. Looking at the photo, the level of urban construction is very high, the city is clean and comfortable, and traffic flows in an orderly manner.

The city center of Dalian, with Zhongshan Square as its core, gathers major global banks and financial institutions. As a result, there are many financial industry workers who frequently cross the road in opposite directions. Therefore, vehicles always stop at crosswalks; even if no one is waiting for the traffic light, they still stop. The red light was still on, and a bank clerk waiting for the green light saw the bus stop for him alone, so he quickly crossed the crosswalk to the other side of the road. This civilized scene of cars yielding to people makes you feel the gentlemanly demeanor of the city. Such a city is rare not only in the Northeast but also across the country. Therefore, I believe it is not unfounded to say that Dalian is the city with the best traffic order in Northeast China.

With various banks and skyscrapers standing tall, downtown Dalian has the aura of a metropolis. The traffic order with vehicles moving slowly is even more praiseworthy. The slow-moving public buses and the leisurely coming and going of private cars add a strong gentlemanly charm to the city.

The relationship between economic development level and urban civilization holds true under certain conditions. Citizens in places with strong economic strength generally have higher overall quality and civilization levels than those in underdeveloped areas. Do you agree with this view? During my few days on business in Dalian, I found that the city's construction is truly that of a major city, and the citizens have a very high quality. The most unforgettable thing is the city's traffic order.

Dalian is a port-based financial and trade city with many business people, so there is frequent interaction between people. Vehicles temporarily parked by the roadside are very neat and never occupy the driving lanes, causing traffic chaos. An endless urban road, clean and tidy, appeared before my eyes. Seeing such urban traffic order, you will easily believe that Dalian is indeed the city with the best traffic order in Northeast China. This good experience is reflected in many aspects. If you want to feel the gentlemanly demeanor created by Dalian's urban traffic order, why not take a trip to Dalian and see for yourself!