It's full speed ahead for Hangzhou's road network and construction surges forward on a comprehensive plan for bridges, tunnels and many expressways. Qian Yanwen goes for a drive. Hangzhou is undertaking an ambitious road transport plan, aiming for a comprehensive framework and emphasizing fast expressway construction to ease congestion.

The building program announced last week is known as "33317" - three bridges, three tunnels, three ways with one line, and seven city expressways.

Three bridges

The three bridges are Jiubao Bridge, Zhijiang Bridge and Jiangdong Bridge. One line is the west ring road running 150 kilometers from Xiaoshan District to Yuhang District. Preparation begins this year.

Construction began last March on Jiubao Bridge, connecting Donghu Road in the north with Xiaoshan Science Garden Road in the south. Serving as a link between Linping and Xiasha expressways, it will play a major role in the eastern network.

Spanning 1,855 meters, the bridge will have six two-way lanes permitting speeds of up to 80kmh.

Construction of the main body is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2011. Supporting projects such as the caps and pier construction will be completed this year.

Building half of the northern junction of the bridge is due to be completed this year, while construction on the southern junction will begin.

Construction will soon begin on the 5.6km Zhijiang Bridge, connecting Caihong Dadao (Rainbow Boulevard) with State Highway 320. It will have six, two-way lanes.

The Jiangdong Bridge, which opened last year, will be connected to Century Boulevard with a new 16.2km road; construction of the link begins this year.

Three tunnels

The three tunnels are the Qingchun Tunnel, the Qianjiang Channel, and the second phase of the Qiushi Highway project (the former Banshan Tunnel).

The 5.3km Qingchun River Tunnel will be completed by the end of this year. It links Qingchun Road E. with Shixin Road.

The Banshan Tunnel, the city's largest tunnel through a mountain, saves driving time from having to detour to Jiaxing or Shanghai. The main body will be completed before next year.

The Qianjiang River tunnel crosses over Dajiangdong New Town of Xiaoshan, spans the Qiantang River and connects Xiaoshan with Jiaxing, a future interchange for four expressways, including Huhang and Hangpu. It opens in 2012.

Three ways

The three ways are the Jichang Road reconstruction project, Jiusha Road and Yanjiang Road.

Jiusha Road connects Hanghai Road with Xiasha No. 1 Road. Its 2.1km section from Hanghai Road to the Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone is to be completed by the year's end, excluding the interchange.

Yanjiang Road, which is under construction, is an avenue for sightseeing from the core area and expansion area of Qianjiang New City to Xiasha, including a 1.2km canal tunnel. Around 80 percent of the project is to be completed by the end of the year, including the 3km section from the economic zone to Xiasha.

Construction will begin this year on the 18.7km Jichang Road reconstruction project. It runs from Xixing Bridge to the west gate of the Xiaoshan International Airport.

Seven expressways

The seven city expressways are four east-west routes - Desheng, Liushi, Jiangnan and Caihong - and three north-south routes - Donghu, Qiushi and Zijingang.

Preparatory work begins this year for the west section of the 2.1km Desheng Expressway. It runs from Shangtang Road to Baoshu Road N. and will ease congestion on the Shangtang-Moganshan section.

Completion is expected this year on the 2.6km expressway running from the Moganshan Road interchange to the Sandun interchange.

Preparatory work also begins this year on the Xixing interchange of the Jiangnan Expressway.

Construction will begin this year on the Binjiang and Xiaoshan sections of the 9.7km Caihong expressway, and on the Qiuhu Lake section of the 10.5km Qiushi expressway.

Source: Shanghai Daily