The Hebei provincial government has issued transportation statistics from 2006 through September to evaluate the implementation of the 11th Five-Year-Plan (2006-2010).

“To build a modern integrated transportation system, Hebei’s transportation department has completed many infrastructural projects covering roads, railways, ports and airports since 2006,” said Jiao Yanlong, general director of Hebei’s communication and transportation bureau.

From 2006 through September 2010, Hebei invested 260.9 billion yuan in transportation, 2.2 times the amount spent during the previous five-year-period.

Total highway miles built in Hebei during the period reached 3,464 kilometers by the end of September, up 62 percent over last year. It’s predicted the total miles will surpass 4,000 kilometers by the end of this year The intensity of Hebei highway construction has equaled that of Japan, France and other developed countries, officials said.

Total highway miles for the province increased by 102.9 percent from 75,900 kilometers in 2005 to 15,400 kilometers as of September. Rural roads increased by 55,000 kilometers to 133,000 kilometers. By the end of 2010, the province is expected to report 99 percent concrete road coverage.

Hebei possesses 116 berths at its ports, with a designed capacity of up to 486 million tons, which is 68.8 percent higher than in 2005. The port’s throughput increased to 510 million tons, up 86.8 percent from five years ago.

Hebei’s railway network covered 2,153 kilometers in 2009, ranking first among Chinese provinces. Eleven Hebei cites and 84 of Hebei’s 136 counties have railway stations. The local railway freight volume more than doubled from 2005 to 140 million tons in 2009.

Four civil airports are in use, and three others are under construction or in the planning stage. By Oct 5, passenger volume reached a record 2 million at Shijiazhuang Airport.

By Guo Changdong and Zhang Nan