As of 15:00 on July 30, Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link (ShenZhong Link) has seen traffic surge past 2.89 mln in one month. The peak hourly traffic exceeded 8,000, of which passenger cars accounted for about 93 percent; the traffic on the entire route was generally stable and orderly during weekdays, and the traffic volume increased by about 30 percent during weekends, with traffic slowing down during some periods.

According to the current traffic forecast, by 24:00 on July 31, the total traffic passing through the Link will reach 3 million. Currently, the Link bears about one-quarter of the total traffic volume across the Pearl River Estuary.

As the only direct highway connection between the Shenzhen-Dongguan-Huizhou urban agglomeration on the east bank of the Pearl River and Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen on the west bank, ShenZhong Link has maintained high traffic volume since its opening, becoming a new top attraction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). This is partly due to factors such as summer vacation travel and the enthusiasm of people to visit and experience the infrastructure.

Analysis of traffic reveals that peak hours mainly occur from 11:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 17:00. It is expected that as the summer vacation ends and people gradually become familiar and adapted to the route, traffic will gradually return to normal levels.

The 24-kilometer Link brings Shenzhen and Zhongshan into the "half-hour traffic and living circle". By the end of this year, with the opening of the south extension of the Nansha-Zhongshan Expressway and its connection to the Link, Nansha's Wanqingsha will also become a new member of this traffic circle.

The opening of the Link has significantly enhanced the traffic capacity of the cross-Pearl River Estuary channels, facilitating the movement of people and goods, pushing the integrated development of the GBA to a new height.

The impact of the opening of the ShenZhong Link is first evident in the cultural tourism and restaurant industries. The number of visitors to the Zhongshan Museum has increased significantly compared with the same period last year, and the restaurant industry in Yakou Village of Nanlang is thriving.

Chen Xiujuan, a member of the Zhongshan Women's Federation, said that "Previously, my husband worked in Shenzhen and could only come back on weekends. Now, he takes the 18-yuan Shenzhen-Zhongshan bus to commute every day, which is very convenient."