BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A 9-km-long linear park, greenway and rail trail will be created on the old tracks of China's first long-distance railway line in northern Beijing, the Beijing Daily reported Tuesday.
The original Jingzhang Railway, linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, was China's first independently-built railway and opened in 1909.
However, some sections have been abandoned as a new 174-km-long high-speed railway will be put into use by the end of this year, to shorten the travel time between the two host cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The idea of building a park on the disused lines was proposed by railway engineer Wang Mengshu, who thought the Jingzhang Railway was an icon of China's modern industrial civilization and should be well protected and utilized.
He was inspired by the High Line, which is built on a disused viaduct section of the New York Central Railroad line in Manhattan. It has been a model of urban design and become a famous tourist attraction in New York City.
According to the city planning department, the new linear park, running through Haidian District, will be redeveloped with more green areas and paths for people to walk or run on. It will also preserve important historical sites along the old tracks.
About 310,000 people from 26 communities and eight universities nearby will enjoy the services.
Its design will be a collaboration between city planners and the public.
The local city planning department is carrying out a study on the project implementation, the newspaper said.
