Some downtown roads in the city will be closed to traffic from late tomorrow through Saturday so pedestrians can enjoy the float parade marking the beginning of the Shanghai Tourism Festival.

All vehicles would be banned along a portion of Huaihai Road M. between Xizang Road S. and Shaanxi Road from 5pm to 9:30pm on Saturday, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau said yesterday.

Longmen Road, a stretch connecting Huaihai Road M. and Jinling Road M., will be off limits to cars from 10pm tomorrow to midnight on Saturday.

And from 7:30pm on Saturday, vehicles will not be allowed to cross Huaihai Road apart from the intersection of Huaihai Road and Shaanxi Road S.

Other downtown thoroughfares, such as Liulin, Pu'an, Taoyuan and Wangting Roads, also face traffic limits on Saturday.

Public buses running on those roads would temporarily change routes, officials said.

Authorities will also control traffic flow on a part of Huaihai Road between Xizang Road and Chongqing Road tomorrow from 10pm for a parade rehearsal.

Service on Metro Line 1 will be extended for more than an hour on Saturday and September 19 during the festival, which runs until October 6.

On those days, eight trains will run on the line till midnight.

The interval time between trains during the extended time will be 20 minutes.

(Shanghai Daily September 10, 2009)