ALREADY a leafy and verdant city, green Shanghai is about to get another 24 “boulevards.”

The city already has 198 boulevards. To be designated as a boulevard, streets need to meet a number of criteria. They need to be at least 500 meters long, with both sidewalks and non-motorized vehicle lanes over 90 percent “green.” There are more than 10 boulevard clusters, including Xujiahui and Ruijin No. 2 Road areas.

With a cooler environment, boulevards provide ideal shelter against the sun. They are currently home to 16 species of tree, the majority of which are plane trees. There are also substantial numbers of cherry, willow, and ginkgo. They suit the climate and help purify the air.

A section of Wuyuan Road between Changshu Road and Wukang Road, a section of Qinzhou Road between Kangjian Road and Yishan Road, both in Xuhui District, and a section of Guangyan Road between Guangzhong Road and Yanchang Road and a section of Beijing Road W. between Jiangning Road and Wulumuqi Road N., both in Jing’an District, are on the new list.

These roads feature a variety of trees such as sycamore and dawn redwood, according to Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.