An astonishing traffic jam unfolded in China as the country’s 36-lane highway came to a grinding halt, with millions attempting to return home after a national holiday.
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Footage from the Wuzhuang toll station, the largest in China, revealed endless streams of cars caught in a 24-hour bottleneck. The station, which accommodates 36 lanes, was forced to compress vehicles into just four toll booths.
Millions on the move
According to officials, roughly 120,000 vehicles passed through the station that day. The gridlock was triggered by the conclusion of China’s National Day holiday, which lasts from October 1 to October 8. The mass return journey led to extraordinary queues stretching as far as the eye could see.
Authorities issued urgent appeals to residents, encouraging them to take alternative routes to ease the pressure. In addition, Shenzhen extended the operating hours of its subway and bus services to reduce the load on the highways.
Viral footage sparks comparisons
Clips of the enormous queues quickly spread across social media, with many users drawing parallels to India’s notorious traffic snarls.
China currently boasts over 100,000 miles of motorways, more than any other nation. Remarkably, the country had no motorways at all as recently as 1988.
Other traffic marvels in China
This is not the first time China’s road systems have made headlines. Earlier this year, the Huangjuewan Interchange in Chongqing went viral for its dizzying design. The multi-level structure features 12 storeys of looping tarmac, 15 ramps, and 20 junctions—a labyrinth so complex it has been described as enough to leave even experienced drivers disoriented.