Beijing launched a two-month-long vehicle restriction program on Sunday to ease traffic congestion（堵塞） and improve air quality in the capital during the Olympic Games.

Cars are banned on alternate（轮换，交替） days based on whether their license plates end in odd or even numbers. In addition, dozens of designated Olympic traffic lanes are now in use.

As a metropolitan city with more 3 million vehicles, will these traffic restrictions affect people's lives? Our reporter Zheng Chenguang finds out.

Beijing's drivers encountered fewer vehicles and much smoother drives on roads in the capital on Sunday morning. This was in part because it was the weekend, but also largely because of a vehicle restriction program that is now in effect.

"There are no traffic jams all the way."

"It's much easier to drive now. Ther are fewer cars on the road."

City authorities say the restriction, along with an earlier ban on the use of vehicles that failed to meet emissions standards, will eliminate 2 million cars from the roads daily.

Shi Yan is deputy director of the control center at the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau. He has been carefully monitoring the city's traffic situation during the entire morning.

"The traffic flow of this morning's peak hours has been cut in half compared with the previous weekend."

City officials estimate that an additional 4 million people will use public transportation while the vehicle restriction program is in effect.

Many drivers have voluntarily taken this as an opportunity to support the Beijing Olympics.

"My office is near the subway. I can take Line 13 to work."

"It is much cheaper to take buses, more economical than driving cars."

"I will ride to my work place. It is a kind of physical exercises. It also echoes the government's call to protect the environment and promote a green Olympics."

The city has also set aside more than 200 kilometers of road lanes specifically for Olympic traffic as of Sunday.

The lanes are located on some major arteries and roads near Olympic venues. They are open only to Olympic-designated vehicles during the stipulated period to ensure that athletes, judges, other Olympic officials and VIPs arrive at the venues on time.
Liu Bin is a senior official at the Olympic office of the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.

"If a venue has finished all its matches, and there are no more Olympic-related activities, we will remove the designated lanes leading to the venue and restore normal traffic on the lane."

Liu Bin says he expects most Beijing residents to abide by the traffic regulations for the sake of the Games.

ZCG, CRI news.