The Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou is undergoing a radical upheaval
process – the dimension and the speed of Shanghai's development exceeds European
thinking.
Between 1978 and 1990 about €3 billion were spent on urban infrastructure projects, in the
next six years between 1991 and 1997 the investment exceeded €18 billion. In the early
eighties the construction of the whole public mass transport system started from scratch,
following the strategic neglecting by the Central Government in Beijing. Today, after the
reforms of Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin, a former mayor of Shanghai, it is said that the
city's large construction projects are the PRC Government's 'cuddles'.
2002 about 80 urban infrastructure projects with an investment of €6,5 billion were under
construction, supporting →AIR TRAFFIC →RAIL TRAFFIC →ROAD TRAFFIC and →SHIPPING.
In my opinion the rapid changes in the transport infrastructure will change more than the
map of the city or the mere building reality – it will change the city's timescale.
Firstly I want to focus on the meaning of the transport issue for China's and Shanghai's
economy and competitiveness. Shanghai has a great potential, but today it lacks fluency.
The PRC Central Government, with it's rising conscious of China's global role, has realized this
fact. The new economic and political ambition has overcome stone-age Maoism of bleeding
white 'decadent' cities - Pudong New Area with China's stock exchange in Luijazui
demonstrates this ambition.
The strategic position on the China Sea and the estuary of the Yangtze River enables
Shanghai to function as East Asia's main gate, both for domestic and supranational trade.
The current deep water port and dredging projects combined with new road and rail
connections to the rest of the PRC and its neighbours create the 'right flow' for growing, like
the comparison of the GDP and the container throughput shows.
However China's new economic 'XIAHAI' policy (promoting entrepreneurship) separates
severely from the governments restrictive social control, leading to the next issue – mobility
und urbanization. On the one hand the improvement of the mass transport infrastructure like
the extension of six further metro lines until 2005 increases the local mobility. Today Shanghai is
characterized by a high dense core and a low density outside core, such as the comparison
with London shows. [...]
Table of Contents
00 INTRODUCTION – dimension and speed
01 SHANGHAI BASICS - density and growth
02 URBAN PLANNING - polycentricity and pragmatism
History
Pudong New Area
03 AIR TRAFFIC
04 ROAD TRAFFIC
Selection of built projects
Selection of scheduled Projects:
05 Rail Traffic
Metro
M Maglev
06 SHIPPING
07 OUTLOOK
08 REFERENCES
Objectives and Key Themes
This document examines the rapid, large-scale structural transformation of Shanghai's urban infrastructure, specifically focusing on how massive investments in transportation networks drive the city's economic development and urban expansion. It explores the tension between traditional planning and modern, pragmatic approaches to city growth.
- Analysis of Shanghai's urban development patterns and historical transformation.
- Evaluation of transport infrastructure investments including air, road, rail, and shipping.
- Exploration of the Pudong New Area as a case study for modern urban planning.
- Assessment of the impact of rapid transit expansion on city mobility.
- Future projections for infrastructure connectivity within the Yangtze River Delta.
Excerpt from the Book
Pudong New Area
In the nineties the district of Pudong was chosen for the development of a financial and commercial zone with China's Stock Exchange in Luijazui. Pudong New Area, between the Huangpu River and the Chinese Sea covers 522km². Central Luijazui measures 28km², surrounded by the Inner Ring and connected by various river crossings with the old town.
An international urban planning competition was held for the Luijazui Central Area. In 1992 eight offices were invited to participate. The urban design projects of Toyo Ito, Massimiliano Fuksas and Richard Rogers were awarded. However the Chinese authorities pursued their pragmatic plans, ignoring the winning entries: Various Properties had been sold before – the master plan lacks of an underlying structure: A central axis starting at the exit of the river tunnel extends 5km southeast ending in a central park.
Summary of Chapters
00 INTRODUCTION – dimension and speed: This section introduces the rapid upheaval process of Shanghai and highlights the unprecedented scale of its recent infrastructure investments.
01 SHANGHAI BASICS - density and growth: This chapter provides demographic and geographical context for the Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou area, illustrating the density disparities within the region.
02 URBAN PLANNING - polycentricity and pragmatism: The chapter details the historical evolution of Shanghai and discusses how market economy forces have necessitated a pragmatic shift in urban planning strategies.
03 AIR TRAFFIC: An overview of the expansion of Shanghai's two international airports and the massive investment planned for future capacity increases.
04 ROAD TRAFFIC: This chapter describes the implementation of a comprehensive three-dimensional road network, including ring roads and expressways designed to enhance urban connectivity.
05 Rail Traffic: Focuses on the rapid development of the Shanghai Metro system and its role in creating a modern, high-capacity urban transit grid.
M Maglev: Describes the world's first commercial magnetic levitation line, connecting the financial center to the Pudong International Airport.
06 SHIPPING: Analyzes the strategic importance of Shanghai’s ports and the challenges of water depth that have necessitated major deepwater port projects like Yangshan.
07 OUTLOOK: Concludes the study by reflecting on the complex governance and decision-making processes that dictate the city's future urban development pace.
Keywords
Shanghai, Urban Infrastructure, Transportation, Pudong, Metro, Maglev, Shipping, Urban Planning, Yangtze River Delta, Economic Development, Road Network, Polycentricity, Container Throughput, Infrastructure Investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines the rapid transformation of Shanghai's urban infrastructure, analyzing how massive investments in transport systems are reshaping the city's structure and development pace.
What are the core thematic areas covered?
The report covers air, road, and rail transport, maritime shipping facilities, and the broader context of urban planning and regional growth within the Yangtze River Delta.
What is the main objective of the research?
The research aims to analyze the basic transport system of Shanghai and identify relevant urban development patterns, such as the emergence of the Pudong New Area.
Which scientific methods or approaches are used?
The study employs a descriptive analysis of urban planning projects, infrastructure investment data, and demographic statistics to map the city's rapid evolution.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body details the historical growth of the city, the planning of Pudong, specific transport infrastructure projects (Metro, Maglev, Ports, and Roads), and future master plans.
What characterizes the keywords of this work?
The keywords highlight the intersection of urban planning, civil engineering, economic growth, and modern transportation technology in the context of a rapidly globalizing Chinese city.
How does the author characterize the planning in Pudong?
The author describes the planning in Pudong as highly pragmatic, noting that while international competitions were held, authorities ultimately prioritized specific economic needs over the suggested master plans.
What challenge do the rivers pose to Shanghai's port development?
The Yangtze and Huangpu Rivers face constraints due to limited water depth and narrow channels, which hinder the movement of large container ships and led to the development of the Yangshan Deepwater Port.
- Quote paper
- Robert Scheutz (Author), 2003, Analysis of Shanghai's Commerce - urbanistic considered, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/24944
