Traffic control takes effect in Beijing to reduce congestions and emissions ahead of the Games

Cars will be banned on alternate days depending on whether their license plates end in odd or even numbers. Beijing hopes to take the city's 2.2 million cars off the roads and reduce emissions by 63 percent for a two-month period during the Olympic Games.

A comparison pictures showing the traffic condition on the same road during rush hour on July 18, 2008 (bottom) and July 20. This certainly had reduced alot of stress on the traffic which had been a serious problem in Beijing for years. With the traffic condition improves, I do hope the air condition improves too.