China has completed the construction of the world’s longest expressway tunnel, the Tianshan Shengli; nearly 14 miles long, this will link the northern and southern portions of the Xinjiang autonomous region, reported Xinhua, on Dec. 30, 2024. The Xinjiang region shares borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan; it is mostly desert and mountains. The ancient Silk Road trade route linking China and the Middle East passed through Xinjiang.
The tunnel is 22.13 km long, and will reduce the drive across the middle section of the Tianshan Mountains from several hours to about 20 minutes; it’s expected to be operational during 2025. It will help to increase communication and trade between north and south, as well as allow for increased access to medical care, and reduction of snow and ice hazards.
“The new tunnel, whose construction began in April 2020, is no small feat. It has faced multiple challenges, such as extreme cold, high altitudes, high ground stress, strong seismic activity and strict environmental requirements, according to Mao Jinbo, an engineer on the project,” noted Xinhua.
