The construction of the tunnel was designed to relieve the heavy traffic through the Bund area.

It rendered obsolete two late 20th century structures which had impacted the streetscape and sightlines in the Bund area, allowing them to be removed.

[4] Wusong Road Gate Bridge was demolished in 2009, prior to the completion of the Bund Tunnel.

This made the large concrete ramp by which the Yan'an Elevated Road joined the Bund redundant.

1 Turing Ramp in Asia by citizens, along with a significant stretch of the elevated expressway, which had long impacted the streetscape near Yan'an Road's junction with the Bund, was demolished.