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In the foreground is a quaint residential building, behind which is the modern Zifeng Building, located in Xiqiao, Gulou District, Nanjing, with the “magic photo of Zifeng Building”, it has transformed from an old street into an “Internet celebrity check-in point”. Poles are underground, roads are widened, and residential areas are renovated…… While the road reconstruction has been “renewed”, the lives of surrounding residents have also been significantly improved.
Nowadays, from Jiangsu Road in the west to Yunnan Road in the east, the West Bridge, which is less than 600 meters away, has become a “visual corridor” for citizens and tourists to compete to check in. Six years ago, when Xiqiao had not yet become an “Internet celebrity check-in point”, netizen “Xiaofeng who loves photography” found the sparks of the collision between the modern building and the old street, and the central axis of the Xiqiao, with the Zifeng Building as the background, the new and the old are connected, bringing a strong visual impact.
West Bridge before renovation
Later, Xiqiao became popular on social platforms, and many people came to check in. “Xiaofeng, who loves photography”, also often takes pictures and records, and in his lens, you can see the process of the quiet change of the West Bridge. The power lines in the sky have disappeared, flower beds and green plants have been added to the middle of the road, more literary and art shops have settled in, and more young people have come to take pictures……
The renovated West Bridge
In urban renewal, it is the surrounding residents who feel it the most. Mr. Zhang, a resident of Dafang Lane Community in Nanjing, who lives next to Xiqiao, never imagined that one day, this quiet old street in front of his house would become an “Internet celebrity street” and a lively “scenic spot” for people to check in.
“Xiqiao is a place that I must pass when I go out every day, it is an old neighborhood that has fallen into disrepair, the overhead power poles are very messy, the road surface is damaged, the sidewalks are very narrow, and many equipment and facilities have potential safety hazards, affecting the travel of surrounding residents.” Mr. Zhang said that a few years ago, the community was renovated, the poles were underground, and the roads were widened, and the appearance of the streets became better, and more and more people came to play. “Now it is full of literary and artistic atmosphere, and some new exquisite small shops have been opened, and many of them have flowers, plants and stools in front of the store, which looks more pleasing to the eye.”
In recent years, Gulou District has implemented comprehensive environmental improvement projects for key areas, and the comprehensive improvement of Xiqiao Area has also been included. Roads have been renovated, overhead pipelines have been undergrounded, gas pipelines have been renewed, and greening, lighting and traffic projects have been upgraded…… In 2021, Xiqiao Road will continue to be renovated, with non-motorized parking spaces demarcated and guardrails added. More than 100 sets of landscape flower boxes are also added to the separation line in the middle of the road, adding a touch of color to the West Bridge.
Comprehensive environmental improvement is the “surface”, and reshaping the urban space and improving the lives of residents is the “inside”. Today’s West Bridge, the road is smoother and smoother, the space from the top of the head to the foot has become neat and orderly, and the travel experience has been further improved. In the process of urban renewal, residents feel the pulse of reform.
