The epic 12-day traffic jam on China’s National Highway 110 in August 2010 was the result of a perfect storm of issues. A massive influx of coal trucks heading from Inner Mongolia to Beijing overwhelmed the highway, many operating without permits or overloaded. At the same time, ongoing roadworks drastically reduced the number of available lanes, creating bottlenecks on a route already stretched to capacity. The situation was made worse by frequent breakdowns and minor accidents that further clogged the road. With poor coordination between construction scheduling and traffic flow management, authorities struggled to respond quickly. The jam ultimately exposed how ill-prepared the infrastructure was for the country’s booming freight demands and surging vehicle numbers.
Crawling at a Snail’s Pace
Drivers became pawns in the congestion: midday averages hovered around 1 km per day. Even after a week, cars and trucks barely inched forward, with some vehicles stranded for up to five days.
The Highway Bazaar
As the jam dragged on, roadside streetside vendors emerged selling essentials at a heavy premium: bottled water cost up to 15× normal price, and instant noodles soared more than three‑fold. Some vendors even set up mobile shops via bicycles.
Crisis Management
With roughly 100 000 vehicles ensnared, authorities acted over the 14-day ordeal. They rerouted and staggered truck traffic, suspended some freight routes at night, and cleared breakdown blockages. By 26 August, traffic began to flow again.
Bigger Picture
• In terms of duration, this incident is the longest recorded traffic jam.
• Historically, the 1980 Lyon–Paris jam stretched 175 km, and 1990’s East–West Germany jam involved 18 million vehicles though neither matched China’s in duration.
• The 2010 event spotlighted the consequences of rapid vehicle growth, heavy reliance on road freight, and inadequate infrastructure planning.
