Baoji-Pingkan Expressway Will Be Open to Traffic Before "10.1" Shortening
the Ride from Baoji to Hangzhong to Two Hours

On September 7, the interview group of theme publicity campaign of the 5th "Voice of Shaanxi, via Which We Communicate with the World" visited Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd. and the construction site of Baoji-Pingkan Expressway to check the new achievements and progress of Shaanxi transportation and breakthroughs state-owned enterprises in Shaanxi Province made during their course of sustainable development.

It is understood that the Baoji-Pingkan Highway starts from Panjiawan in High-tech Zone of Baoji City,circuitously rises along the north slope of the Qinling Mountains to the southwest, passes through the High-tech Zone and Weibin District of Baoji City, crosses the main vein of the Qinling Mountains with a super-long tunnel, and ends in the north of Pingkan Town in Fengxian County along the Chedao River to the south. The total length of the route is 73.238km and the design speed is 80km per hour. It is Shaanxi's fifth highway crossing Qinling Mountains after Beijing-Kunming, Baotou-Maoming, Fuzhou-Yinchuan and Shanghai-Shaanxi Highway, with two toll stations and two service areas. It is an integral part of Yinchuan-Kunming Highway (G85). After Baoji-Pingkan Highway gets in place, the journey from Baoji to Hanzhong will shrink from nearly 5 hours to 2 hours. At present, the whole line has been connected. It is expected to be open to traffic before the "10.1" this year, a whole year in advance.

Zhao Chaozhi, Director of Baoji-Pingkan Highway Construction Management Office of Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd., said: "Since the reconnoitre and feasibility study Baoji-Pingkan Highway Programm kicked off in 2008, eight years of survey have justified, and careful planning have bred the West Route among seven route plans covering East, Middle and West Corridors made by design institutions."

As informed, the super-long tunnel group of Qinling Tiantai Mountain, the controlling project of Baoji-Pingkan Expressway project, stretches 32 km in total. It is composed of 10 tunnels, 5 bridges and 4 High Subgrades, thus bridges and tunnels constitute as high as 98.1%. Among the tunnel group, the 15.56-km-long Tiantai Mountain Extra-long Tunnel run through the main ridge of the Qinling Mountains, ranking first in worldwide road tunnels in terms of volume and scale of construction.

Hu Ming, Director of the Publicity Department of SASAC of the People's Government of Shaanxi Province, said that the 14th Five-Year Plan period serves as an crucial period for Shaanxi to catch up and surpassing in the new era, and it is also the first five-year period for developing Shaanxi into a power in transportation. In such a drive, Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd.,who undertakes the building and operation of highways in the province is pivotal for economic and social growth. In particular,  numerous endeavors including the construction of Baoji-Pingkan Expressway have registered remarkable achievements, highlighting the responsibility of state-owned enterprises for high-quality development in Shaanxi.

"Baoji-Pingkan Highway will be completed and open to traffic before the National Day this year.Welcome to drive through the highway, feel the beauty of crossing Chencang in Qinling Mountains, and enjoy the time-saving and convenient ride on Shu Road which was notoriously known to be tough to travel on" Huang Huiqi, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee, Director,and the Chairman of the Labour Union of Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd. said.