Celebrating the world’s largest expressway community
Ma Xuefeng / Glow
The nationwide expressway network has been the backbone of enhancement in numerous areas throughout China. Journalists from state and local media have been invited to check out the stories behind the highways.
Zhang Kuihong, 79, nonetheless remembers the debates around the to start with national freeway challenge on Chinese mainland back again in 1984.
Zhang, deputy main engineer of the building on Hujia Expressway, was a specific guest at an function on Tuesday upcoming to the expressway.
“China Along the Expressways” kicked off a grand tour to celebrate the country’s expressway community — the premier in the environment — spanning 160,000 kilometers. Journalists from condition and regional media have been invited to check out the financial, cultural and tourism improvement together the expressways.
Ma Xuefeng / Glow
Zhang Kuihong, 79, remembers the debate around making Hujia Expressway again in 1984.
It is tough to visualize that specialists and engineers had been so conservative back then that the to start with freeway was pretty much not crafted.
“Many authorities asked why we essential a 120-kilometer-for every-hour expressway when most family members did not have passenger automobiles and even people who did could only go 80 kilometers for every hour,” Zhang recalled, standing at the authentic site of Hujia Expressway that opened on October 31, 1988. “The most challenging aspect of that development was the clash of distinctive views.”
No person asks that concern anymore. In the previous 4 decades, China has created an expressway network above mountains and across rivers that addresses 99 p.c of Chinese cities with populations of 200,000 or far more.
“The subsequent stage is to protect all cities and counties with populations of 100,000 or much more by 2035,” Wang Songbo, deputy director of the Ministry of Transport’s extensive arranging department, stated at the party. “The development of electronic infrastructure and intelligent transportation technique is underway with tons of opportunity, these kinds of as serious-time monitoring of visitors to enable drivers and central manage manage emergencies.”

I’m a indigenous of Jiading District, and I’m proud to have been a portion of the expressway construction workforce that assisted make Jiading a sought-following place for traders.

Zhang Kuihong/Deputy chief engineer of development for Hujia Expressway
In accordance to Wang, expressway mileage accounts for about 3 % of full highway mileage in China but is liable for much more than 50 % of freight transport.
The expressway community has been the backbone of growth throughout the state. Hujia Expressway is a excellent illustration. Zhang has witnessed its fast and extended-term positive aspects.
“I’m a native of Jiading District, and I’m very pleased to have been a part of the expressway construction crew that aided make Jiading a sought-after area for investors,” he said.
The expressway connects downtown Shanghai to its suburbs. Just before the expressway was constructed, it took at least two several hours to vacation 20 kilometers together the primary route for delivering new make to neighborhood residents.
Hujia Expressway shortened that journey to only 30 minutes. Soon soon after it opened in 1988, an industrial park opened in the Jiading town of Taopu, adopted by tourism advancement in the town of Nanxiang, renowned for xiaolongbao, Shanghai’s special steamed dumpling.
This progress pattern can be witnessed across the nation, especially for distant counties and villages that can now completely notice their possible by better connections to the relaxation of the country thanks to the expressway network.
