The screen, which covers one wall of the two-floor center and is comprised of 98x80-inch displays, shows real-time information that is collected by more than 10,000 ultrasound and microwave devices installed on major roads throughout the city. The map shows not only traffic congestion, but also the location of each traffic police officer and all police vehicles on duty.

The map monitors all of Beijing's major roads around the clock and sends an alarm when there is a traffic accident. The ITS can accurately locate traffic slowdowns and accidents so that the nearest police can respond immediately.

New road signs at intersections that are connected to the ITS tell drivers the traffic situation in all four directions. People can also obtain live traffic information by watching TV or going online.

Traffic lights are also getting "smart" and can change based on information collected by traffic flow sensors installed at road intersections. The automatic color changing can maximize road traffic efficiency and alleviate congestion.

To speed up public transport, traffic lights on roads with several bus lines have been fitted with programs that give priority to mass transit. When buses pass through intersections, they are identified by radio-frequency identification (RFID) readers installed near the traffic lights. The reader detects RFID tags aboard buses and sends signals to the traffic light, which changes to green to allow enough time for the bus to pass.

Some traffic lights at areas around the city center have been upgraded to indicate the time remaining until traffic lights change and also broadcast voice reminders to alert the blind.

"Our system now covers more than 80 percent of Beijing's roads," said Wu Xianli, a police officer working at the traffic management bureau's command center.

To alleviate Beijing's traffic congestion, which almost turned streets into parking lots during rush hour, the city implemented "odd-even" traffic restrictions on vehicles before the 2008 Olympics. The restrictions banned vehicles on alternate days depending on their license plate numbers. The policy proved effective in easing the city's congestion and reducing pollution and has since become a regular restriction. ITS cameras are capable of photographing violators of the ban.

Also during the Beijing Olympics, the city operated 35 temporary bus lines to sporting venues, putting more than 3,500 buses on the road. They were all directed by a public transport distribution system jointly developed by Beijing Public Transport Holdings Ltd., Beijing Jiaotong University and Digital China Holdings Ltd. The system proved successful at optimizing bus routes and calculating how many buses were needed for each route to transport expected spectators, including 100,000 people during the opening ceremony.

In 2009, Beijing residents for the first time began choosing public transport over private cars for their daily commutes, said a report from the Ministry of Transport's Transportation Information Center.

Navigating subways faster

From January 2007 to June 2009, the intervals between trains on Beijing's subway system were shortened 15 times. The city's Line 2, one of its busiest, achieved a minimum interval of two minutes, which would be unattainable without its electronic ticketing system.

The subway's ticketing system went completely electronic in May 2008, replacing paper tickets with magnetic stripe cards and smart cards. The upgrade has provided riders with an added level of convenience by eliminating the need to constantly purchase new tickets.

Another benefit of the new system is the ability to gather information based on when and where the cards are scanned. Under the automatic fare collection system, which includes more than 5,000 ticket-vending machines and ticket checkers throughout Beijing's 96 subway stations, passengers present their cards when entering and exiting the subway system. The process generates valuable data that can help the subway system to evaluate train schedules.