23/05/2026
Posted by FAM Networks | If you're stressed, remember: China has a 25-lane highway that merges into four lanes. 🚗🌉
The viral photo showing what looks like a 25-lane highway collapsing into a bottleneck was taken on the G4 Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway. It was captured during China’s National Day Golden Week in 2015, when millions of people traveled simultaneously, creating extreme pressure on toll plazas.
The wide section is not a normal road but a massive toll collection area where vehicles spread out to pay. After the tolls, all cars must merge back into fewer lanes. During peak holiday travel that merge created the enormous backup seen in the famous image.
Transportation analysts still reference the photo when discussing holiday traffic management and infrastructure planning. The image remains popular because its scale looks almost impossible. It serves as a clear example of how travel surges can overwhelm even the largest road systems.
References:
BBC News: China’s Golden Week Travel Rush Creates Heavy Highway Congestion
Reuters: Massive Toll Plaza Traffic During China Holiday Travel Draws Attention
The Guardian: Millions Traveled During China’s Busy Golden Week Holiday Period
