Libo, a county located in the southern area of Guizhou province, is often described as paradise on earth due to its stunning natural scenery and picturesque landscapes.
However, the small county has endured hard times due to its poor transportation capacity. Local authorities released plans in 2015 to show their determination to fix this problem.
The roads connecting the county's towns and villages were all renovated using better infrastructure. Cycling lanes were added along county highways, leading to the creation of popular "tourism highways" among cyclists.
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The roads connecting towns and villages in Libo county, Guizhou province, were all renovated with better infrastructure. [Photo by Zhao Zhao/gog.cn] |
Lian Guifang, a 52-year-old cyclist, was satisfied with the improvement, "It takes us just one hour to cycle more than 20 kilometers on the cycling lane."
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Visitors cycle on the tourism highway in Libo county, Guizhou province. [Photo by Zhao Zhao/gog.cn] |
Additionally, service areas with restrooms, restaurants and parking lots were added along the highways to provide extra convenience to travelers. The roads also help to alleviate poverty in villages. Laba village, seven kilometers from Libo county, has 853-hectare of land used for growing pomelo. However, because the narrow roads in the village couldn't accommodate the large trucks required for transportation, the villagers were unable to sell their fruit.
Thanks to Libo county's road renovation program, the roads are now wider and smoother, allowing trucks to ship some 40,000 kilograms of pomelo at once, significantly reducing transportation costs.
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The sales volume of pomelo surges in Laba village, Libo county, greatly improving the lives of villagers. [Photo by Zhao Zhao/gog.cn] |
"We're able to save a lot on transportation now that the roads are better," said Qin Shuyou, head of Laba village. It only takes five minutes for big trucks to ship 40,000 kilograms of pomelo to Libo county.
There are currently 235 households growing pomelo, with an annual yield of five million kilograms. The average annual income among villagers increased from 2,000 yuan ($307) to 11,000 yuan over the last three years.
