In this section of the Lizhiwan Canal restoration the canal passes Duobao Lu, a major east-west road in the historical Xiguan District. Impressively, rather than forcing pedestrians to the street level where they need to compete with traffic, people can walk under Duobao Lu and continue along the canal.
The historical 'shophouse' or 'qilou' architecture along Duobao Lu, which features covered walkways well-suited to the climate and used throughout Southeast Asia, have been repainted and generally maintained in several parts of Duobao Lu. Where new developments have been implemented, these have also often been required to included shaded 'qilou' or arcade style walkways. An added benefit of the qilou style is that the street is directly fronted by a continuous line of small shopfronts, which helps make for a lively and interesting walking experience.