On December 30, the Shimen-Cili Section of Anxiang-Cili Expressway was completed and opened for trial operation. So far, Shimen County has greeted its first expressway, making highway service access to all Hunan counties. Now all of the Hunan’s 122 counties and cities can connect with expressways in half an hour.

Anxiang-Cili Expressway starts at Ankang Township, Anxiang County, Changde City, connects with Yueyang-Changde Expressway, passes through Lijiapu in Jinshi City, Linan in Lixian County, Xiumei in Linli County, Jiashan Temple in Shimen County, and ends at Cili County in Zhangjiajie City. The 121.311-km-long highway is connected to the Changde-Zhangjiajie Expressway.

The Shimen- Cili Section is 38.5 kilometers long and has three toll stations in Shimen, Miaoshi and Cili. The project is financed, constructed, managed, and maintained by the China Railway Construction Investment Group, China Railway 15 Bureau Group, and China Railway 18 Bureau Group.

Previously, Shimen County had no expressway. The most convenient and fast expressway entrance is in Pantang Town, Taoyuan County, and it takes about 60 minutes’ drive via County Road 021. Now it takes about 15 minutes' drive from the county to the Shimen toll station, which will bring great convenience to local residents.

The Shimen-Cili Section is currently at the trial operation stage. It will open to private vehicles after trial operation.

The Anxiang-Cili Expressway will connect with Erenhot-Guangzhou Expressway, Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway, and Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway after the entire line opens to traffic. It will play a significant role in accelerating the exchanges between the Dongting Lake Economic Circle and Greater Xiangxi Region, and in promoting regional economic and social development.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translators: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn