Fuzhou, host city of the first National Youth Games, has stepped up efforts to improve infrastructure, especially transportation, said mayor Yang Yimin on Oct 25.

The city rolled out big projects to build and renovate venues, improve quality of life, upgrade traffic networks, promote sports and increase cross-Straits communications – all in order to raise Fuzhou’s image as well as benefit local residents, he said.

Transportation improvements stood out among these measures. Currently Fuzhou has 3,552 shuttle buses, operating 232 routes with a total length of 4,216 kilometers. 1.85 million people ride buses every day, according to Xu Yonggui, head of the Fuzhou Transportation Commission.

Fuzhou curbed the exhaust emissions by promoting clean energy vehicles. It has 1,368 such buses and 4,557 CNG-powered taxis, accounting for 42 percent and 71 percent of the respective totals.

An integrated road network has been formed, with 10,600 km of normal roads and 580 km of highroads connecting Fuzhou with other big cities in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang, he said.