THE city will begin renovations on two roads and reconstruction work on a bridge across Suzhou Creek this year to improve traffic around the future site of the World Expo, officials announced yesterday.

The three projects are all based in Huangpu District, north of the Expo site, and cover an area of 5.28 square kilometers between the Nanpu Bridge and the Lupu Bridge.

About 2,000 families and companies will be forced to relocate to make way for the construction.

"The projects will make it easier for visitors to reach the Expo site by vehicle or on bike," said Qian Jianguo of the Shanghai Engineering Administrative Bureau.

The plan calls for a 3.1-kilometer-long section of Henan Road - between Suzhouhe Road S. and Zhonghua Road - to be widened from four lanes to six lanes.

Zhoujing Road will be extended eastward to reach Zhonghua Road.

The city will also rebuild the Fujian Road Bridge, which originally opened in 1968 but was torn down due to its deteriorated condition and safety concerns.

The 94-meter-long bridge, which connects the two sections of Fujian Road on opposite sides of the creek, will be built with cyclists in mind. Unlike most arch bridges, which have a slope of about 6 degrees, the span will have a slope of only 4 degrees, making it easier for cyclists to cross.