Imagine shaving hours off your commute and unlocking a region's full potential! A brand-new expressway is set to revolutionize travel and trade in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, promising a significant boost to both the local economy and tourism. This ambitious project, announced by regional transport authorities, is slated to open by the end of December.
The centerpiece of this transformative infrastructure is a 319.7-kilometer expressway. But the real showstopper? The 22.13-kilometer Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, piercing through the majestic east-west Tianshan Mountains. This engineering marvel connects Urumqi, the regional capital situated north of the mountains, with Yuli county in the Bayingolin Mongolian autonomous prefecture to the south. The main line boasts an impressive 265 bridges and 17 tunnels, a testament to the complex terrain. Construction commenced in 2019, and the wait is almost over!
Once the expressway is open, crossing the Tianshan Mountains via the Shengli Tunnel will take a mere 20 minutes. This is a dramatic improvement, slashing the travel time from Urumqi to Korla, a major city in Bayingolin, from a grueling seven hours to a much more manageable three hours.
Guo Sheng, Party secretary of Xinjiang's transport department, emphasizes the expressway's critical role in alleviating long-standing traffic bottlenecks. He highlights how these bottlenecks have previously hampered the coordinated development between northern and southern Xinjiang. Furthermore, he noted that the technological breakthroughs achieved during the construction of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, built in challenging high-altitude, cold mountainous conditions, will provide valuable lessons for similar transportation projects elsewhere. This is a crucial point, as it underscores the project's contribution to broader engineering knowledge.
Improved road connectivity is also poised to ignite the tourism sector. Liu Heping, head of Bayingolin's tourism association, confirms that local authorities, scenic sites, hotels, and other tourism-related partners are gearing up for an influx of visitors. Bayingolin is renowned for its stunning attractions, including the Bayanbulak Grassland and Bosten Lake. The Bayanbulak National Nature Reserve in Hejing county was even added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2013 as part of the Xinjiang Tianshan property.
But here's where it gets exciting! Guo also revealed that several additional north-south transport projects began construction earlier this year. These include a railway linking Yining and Aksu and an expressway connecting Kuitun, Dushanzi district of Karamay, and Kuqa.
Over the past decade, Xinjiang has made remarkable strides in developing an integrated transport system. This includes significant upgrades to infrastructure networks, service quality, operational efficiency, and safety. According to the region's transport department, the rail network now spans an impressive 9,557 kilometers, connecting all 14 prefecture-level regions and over 80 percent of county-level administrative areas.
By the end of the year, Xinjiang's total road network is expected to reach 237,000 kilometers. Almost every county-level administrative area will be accessible by expressway or first-class highway, with the exception of Tashikurgan Tajik autonomous county and the newly established He'an and Hekang counties. Paved roads, bus services, and postal coverage are now available in every township and eligible administrative village, with courier services nearly fully in place.
Xinjiang also boasts 28 airports, the highest number of any region in China, operating 665 routes. Over half of the China-Europe freight trains pass through the region. Furthermore, 119 bilateral international road transport routes and 37 international cargo air routes have been established. This is a clear indicator of Xinjiang's growing importance as a transportation hub.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe this infrastructure investment will significantly impact the region's economic growth and tourism? Are there any potential downsides to such rapid development that we should consider? Share your opinions in the comments below!
