The BOT project investment promotion conference of the Xichang (Sichuan province) – Shangrila (Yunnan province) Highway was held in Chengdu, South China’s Sichuan province, on April 9. The highway’s construction is expected to kick off this year with a planned construction period of five years.

The highway connects the Xichang-Panzhihua (Sichuan province) Highway with the Shangrila-Lijiang segment of the Xining (Qinghai province) - Chamdo (Tibet autonomous region) – Dali (Yunnan province) Highway. Starting from the city of Xichang with a length of 320 kilometers, the highway runs through Yanyuan county in Sichuan province and Lugu Lake. More than half of its length is in Sichuan province, including 97 super large, large and medium bridges as well as 24 tunnels.

The highway will adopt four-lane dual carriageway all along the way with a designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour。

After the highway opens to traffic, it will only take two hours from Xichang to Lugu Lake. Drivers starting from Chengdu can reach the Lugu Lake scenic spot in about seven hours.

In addition, it will connect with National Highway 214, and then extend to the north. It will finally join National Highway 318, forming a new route from Chengdu to Tibet.