As the Mid-Autumn Festival brings families together under the full moon and the National Day holiday approaches, the combined demand for tourism and returning home to reunite with family will increase pressure on highways, urban and rural roads, and areas surrounding scenic spots. The Hefei Traffic Police, drawing on patterns from previous years and conducting a comprehensive assessment of this year's holiday travel trends, have issued a "two announcements and one reminder" for holiday travel. All traffic participants are urged to familiarize themselves with road conditions in advance and reasonably choose their travel times and routes.

Holiday Traffic Policies

The Mid-Autumn holiday runs from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, a total of three days. During this period, highways will not offer free passage to small passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer. The National Day holiday runs from Thursday, October 1 to Wednesday, October 7, a total of seven days. During this period, highways will offer free passage to small passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer.

Traffic Condition Forecast for Mid-Autumn and National Day

1. Highway traffic volume forecast. During the Mid-Autumn holiday, traffic will mainly consist of short-distance trips to visit family, and highway traffic volume in the city is not expected to see a significant increase. For the National Day holiday, the average daily traffic volume at highway entrances and exits in the city is predicted to range between 800,000 and 900,000 vehicles, with peak volume reaching around 900,000, and slow traffic expected at certain points and sections.

2. Key time periods. Based on traffic flow patterns from previous years, the high-volume periods at the beginning and end of this year's National Day holiday are predicted to be: September 30 from 15:00 to 24:00, October 1 from 8:00 to 22:00, and October 7 from 8:00 to 22:00. The morning and evening peak periods during the middle of the holiday are: October 2 to 6 from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 22:00.

3. Important locations (23 in total). Service areas (8): Chaohu, Zhongxing, Xinqiao, Longmensi, Wushan, Feidong, Chenbu, and Fengle service areas. Interchanges (8): Hefei West Interchange, Gaodian Interchange, Longxi Interchange, Longmensi Interchange, Changfeng Interchange, Mayan Interchange, Muji Interchange, and Fengle Interchange. Toll stations (7): Jinzhai Road, Baohe Avenue, Jixian Road, Fangxing Avenue, Longtang, Shushan, and Shuangdun toll stations.

4. Important road sections (21 sections). The section of the Beijing-Taipei Expressway from Xiaoxichong Interchange to Zhongpaihe Bridge, the section of the South Ring Expressway from Baohe Avenue entrance to Jixian Road entrance, and the section of the Hexian-Xiangyang Expressway from Fengle Toll Station to Fengle Interchange; the section of the South Ring Expressway from Feidong entrance to Longxi Interchange, the section of the East Ring Expressway from Lukou Interchange to Longxi Interchange, and the section of the Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway from Lanqianji Toll Station to the Quanjiao border; the section of the North Ring Expressway from Lukou Interchange to Zhongxing Service Area, the section of the North Ring Expressway from Gangji entrance to Shuangdun Bridge, and the section from Shushan entrance to Wushan entrance; the section of the Chuxin Expressway from Yongfeng entrance to Changfeng Interchange, the section of the Benghe Expressway from Wushan entrance to Longmensi Service Area, and the section of the Chuhezhou Expressway from Longmensi Interchange to the Shouxian border; the section of the Beijing-Taipei Expressway from Bazhen entrance to Muji Interchange, the section of the Hefei-Anqing Expressway from Mayan Interchange to Chenbu Service Area, and the section of the Shanghai-Wuhan Expressway at Zhaohé Bridge; the section of the Wuhu-Hefei Expressway at Shidaoshan Tunnel, the section of the Wuhu-Hefei Expressway at K145 separated roadbed, and the section of the Minghe Expressway from Feidong to the Quanjiao border; the section of the Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway from Gaodian Interchange to Xinqiao Service Area, the section of the Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway from Airport entrance to Xinqiao Service Area, and the section of the Airport Expressway from Tuanfei Road to the 5K mark of the Airport Expressway.

5. Detour recommendations. First, entrance selection. When slow traffic occurs at the Jinzhai Road, Baohe Avenue, and Jixian Road entrances of the South Ring Expressway, vehicles leaving the city can choose to enter at the Shushan entrance. Vehicles returning to the city can choose to exit early at the Feidong entrance, Nanfeihe entrance, or Shushan entrance. Second, route selection. When slow traffic occurs at the Zhongpaihe Bridge section of the Beijing-Taipei Expressway, vehicles heading toward Anqing can choose the Hetong Highway or the Ring Chaohu Avenue, entering at Yandian or Shucheng entrances and driving toward Anqing. Vehicles traveling from Anqing to Hefei can exit early at Yandian or Shucheng entrances and drive via the Hetong Highway or Ring Chaohu Avenue to reach downtown Hefei. When slow traffic occurs at Longxi Interchange, vehicles traveling from downtown Hefei toward Chaohu can choose Huanhu Avenue or the New Hemao Road, or Provincial Roads 104 and 105. Vehicles traveling from downtown Hefei toward Bengbu can choose Provincial Roads 227 and 101, or County Roads 045 and 048. Vehicles traveling from Chaohu toward downtown Hefei can choose Binhu Avenue, Huanhu North Road, Provincial Roads 104 and 105, or the New Hemao Road. When slow traffic occurs on the section of the Ring Expressway from Shuangdun entrance to Gangji entrance, vehicles heading toward Lu'an are advised to detour via the Sanstou entrance, New Bengbu Road, North Second Ring Road, West Second Ring Road, Changjiang West Road, and National Highway G312. Vehicles heading north are advised to exit early at the Gangji entrance and detour via the Hehuai Road, Menghe Road, and Fuyang North Road. When slow traffic occurs on the section from Sanstou entrance to Lukou Interchange, vehicles heading toward the East Ring Expressway are advised to exit at the Sanstou entrance and detour via New Bengbu Road, Weiwu Road, and Longxing Avenue, then enter the highway at the Liangyuan entrance. When slow traffic occurs on the section from Shushan entrance to West Interchange, vehicles heading north are advised to exit at the Jixian Road entrance and detour via Jixian Road, West Second Ring Road, and Hehuai Road. When slow traffic occurs at the Shidaoshan Tunnel section of the Wuhu-Hefei Expressway, vehicles heading toward Hefei are advised to exit at the Chaohu entrance and detour via the Chaozhe Road to the Xiahe entrance to re-enter the highway, or take Provincial Road 105 to Hefei. Vehicles heading toward Wuhu can exit at the Xiahe entrance, drive via Chaozhe Road to the Chaohu North Outer Ring, and then re-enter the Wuhu-Hefei Expressway at the Chaohu entrance. When slow traffic occurs on the Airport Expressway, vehicles traveling from the city to the airport can go via Changjiang West Road, Xinqiao Avenue, and Tuanfei Road to Xinqiao Airport or the Gaoliu entrance, or detour via the West Ring Expressway, Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway, and Xinqiao Science and Technology Innovation Zone entrance. When slow traffic occurs on the Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway, vehicles traveling between Hefei and Lu'an can detour via the West Ring Expressway, exiting at the Shushan entrance and taking Changjiang West Road, National Highway 312, and the Lu'an North entrance, or entering at the Gangji entrance and detouring via the Benghe Expressway, Chuhezhou Expressway, and Deshang Expressway. When slow traffic occurs on the Deshang Expressway, vehicles can choose to detour via the Bolin Interchange, Hexian-Xiangyang Expressway, and Jiguang Expressway.

(2) Public travel demand during the holiday is relatively high, and large traffic volumes will occur at major stations, highway entrances, and county-level routes. 1. Expressway traffic. Large traffic volumes will occur at the beginning and end of the holiday on expressways including Changjiang West Road Elevated Road (to and from the airport and Shushan entrance), Jinzhai Road Elevated Road (to and from Jinzhai Road entrance and Feixi), Ma'anshan Road Elevated Road (to and from Baohe Avenue entrance and Hefei South Railway Station), Baohe Avenue Elevated Road (to and from Hefei South Railway Station and Binhu), Yuxi Road Elevated Road (to and from Longtang entrance), Fuyang Road Elevated Road (to and from Shuangdun entrance), Baogong Avenue Elevated Road (to and from Feidong), Langxi Road Elevated Road, West Second Ring Road, South Second Ring Road, North Second Ring Road, and Fangxing Avenue. 2. Passenger transport stations. Based on travel patterns from previous holidays, September 24, September 30, and October 1 are expected to be peak departure days for this year's Mid-Autumn and National Day holiday, with October 8 being the peak return day. Traffic volume will be relatively high on roads near the entrances of major passenger transport stations including Hefei Railway Station, Hefei West Railway Station, Hefei South Railway Station, and Mingguang Road Bus Station, where slow traffic is likely to occur. 3. County (city) road construction. In Feidong County, Shitang Road (from Longquan Road to Tuanjie Avenue) is under half-closed construction, Changjiang East Road (from Hucheng Road to Sanshibu Bridge) is under fully closed construction, and the middle section of Longquan Road (from Linhe East Road to Linhe West Road) at Tongji Bridge is under fully closed construction. In Feixi County, the Huaotong Expressway County Road 016 (from Huanshan Road to Kongming Road section) is under fully closed construction, Fanhua Avenue (from Daqianshan Avenue to Jianghuai Avenue section) is under fully closed construction, Fanhua Avenue (from Yingjiangsi Road to Xiaojinying Metro Station section) is under half-closed construction, and the intersection of Fangxing Avenue and Jixian Road (in all four directions) is under half-closed construction. In Changfeng County, the Hehuai Road (Gangji section) is under construction for Metro Line S1. In Lujiang County, National Highway G346 in front of Wanshan Town Government is under half-width construction, and the Old Changchonggu Road at Yueliangwan is under construction. The construction will increase traffic pressure on surrounding road networks, and slow traffic is likely to occur.

Hefei Traffic Police Reminders

During the holiday, Hefei Traffic Police will deploy maximum police resources to the front lines, strengthen traffic direction and patrol duties, and make every effort to ensure smooth and orderly roads. They will fully utilize technology such as drones to intensify enforcement against serious traffic violations including speeding, overloading, fatigue driving, drunk driving, running red lights, passenger overcrowding, illegal carrying of passengers on electric two-, three-, and four-wheeled vehicles, and unlicensed driving. Safety comes first during holiday travel — obey the law and have a peaceful holiday! After gatherings and meals, never drive under the influence of alcohol. For self-driving trips, check your vehicle's safety condition in advance, pay attention to weather forecasts, plan your itinerary, keep navigation on throughout the journey, ensure you are well-rested before departure, and strictly prohibit fatigued driving. When driving on highways, all occupants must wear seat belts throughout the journey, maintain safe following distances and speeds, and do not overload or speed. When exiting the highway, change lanes early and slow down to exit; never brake suddenly, reverse, or drive against traffic at exits. When encountering queued traffic ahead, slow down in advance, wait patiently, and proceed in an orderly manner. When driving vehicles with assisted driving features, never take your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. If your vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident, remember to "pull over, turn on hazard lights, evacuate people, set up warnings, and call police immediately." Never stay in the lane, take photos, negotiate, or argue, to avoid secondary accidents. When driving on national and provincial roads, stay focused, drive cautiously, watch for intersections, and control your speed. When passing through intersections, "slow down, observe, and yield." When passing through village and town sections, strictly control speed, watch for pedestrians, and do not speed, cut in, or force overtaking or meeting. When driving on mountain and scenic area roads, slow down and be cautious when meeting oncoming vehicles. When meeting oncoming vehicles, slow down and keep right for stable driving. When overtaking, ensure safety in front and behind; never force overtaking or meeting. When going through curves, slow down in advance, do not occupy the oncoming lane, do not cross the solid yellow line to overtake, and never jerk the steering wheel or brake suddenly to avoid losing control of the vehicle. When driving in rain or fog, pay attention to "reduce speed, control distance, and brighten lights." Do not brake suddenly, accelerate suddenly, or change lanes frequently. If visibility is extremely low due to heavy rain or fog, pull into the nearest service area or safe area to park and wait. Do not risk continuing your journey, and do not attempt to drive through flooded sections. For those traveling for farming or work, choose safe and compliant vehicles. Minivan drivers must carry passengers according to the approved seating capacity, must not illegally modify vehicles, and must not overload. Drivers of trucks, pickup trucks, tricycles, and tractors must not illegally carry passengers.

Source: Hefei Police