(ECNS) -- The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli tunnel, located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is set to become world's longest expressway tunnel. After 52 months of construction, it is expected to be fully drilled through on Monday.
As a crucial section of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, the tunnel will traverse the Tianshan Mountains, which divide the vast Xinjiang into two regions, and create a direct route to southern Xinjiang.
Designed for a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, the tunnel has four lanes in both directions. Upon completion, it will shorten the travel time for crossing the Tianshan Mountains from three hours via National Highway 216 to just 20 minutes.
The team has overcome many challenges in constructing the tunnel, located in a high-plateau area with complex geological conditions.
The Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, stretching 319.7 kilometers, is the most convenient passage to southern Xinjiang. After opening to traffic, it will shorten the travel time between Urumqi and Yuli from seven hours to three hours.
This expressway will play a vital role in advancing the development of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt in Xinjiang and propelling the economic and social development of Xinjiang. The expressway is expected to open in 2025.
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