Media Focus | Trial operation starting from the 31st! The 33-kilometer section of the Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway in Shimian has been fully connected

On December 24th, with the successful installation of the last cable line, the 33-kilometer section of the Luzhou-Shiyan Expressway from Wanggangping Interchange to Dashanshu Hub Interchange, which was jointly constructed by the Jiaojian Group and the Maintenance Group (hereinafter referred to as the "Shiyan Section of the Luzhou-Shiyan Expressway"), was completed. It will be open for trial operation at 10:00 on December 31st. At that time, The travel time from Shimian County to Wanggangping Scenic Area has been shortened from one hour to half an hour.

The Shimian section of the Luzhou-Shiyan Expressway starts from Wanggangping Interchange, passes through Anshunchang and Guangyuanbao, and ends at Dashanshu Hub Interchange, connecting with the already operational Ya 'an-Xichang Expressway. This section adopts a two-way four-lane design, featuring three interchanges, one service area and two toll stations. The ratio of Bridges to tunnels reaches 92.3%.

This section is located in the transitional zone from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Sichuan Basin, close to the Xianshuihe Fault Zone and the Daliangshan Fault Zone. The rock mass is generally fragmented, seismic activities are frequent, geological disasters occur frequently, and there are numerous environmentally sensitive points.

Since the full-scale construction began on December 28, 2020, all parties involved in the project have fought hard for over 1,400 days and nights, successfully overcoming numerous difficulties such as the "9·5" Luding earthquake, high bridge-tunnel ratio, and sensitive and fragile ecological environment. By constantly optimizing the construction plan and introducing intelligent construction equipment such as intelligent arch frame trolleys and anchor rod trolleys, a mechanized and informatized intelligent construction operation mode is achieved. Closely monitor key areas such as the two zones and three factories, construction access roads, cave entrance slopes, cliffs, rivers and gullies, enhance the capacity for earthquake monitoring and prediction, and take "all-round" measures to deal with "what if" risks. Innovate scientific research and technological breakthroughs in ecological and environmental protection, propose and create the "Three Zeros" project, which features "zero distance" for project communication and coordination, "zero excavation" for tunnel entrance construction, and "zero discharge" for production and domestic sewage, to achieve a harmonious relationship between project construction and the surrounding environment. The participating parties also organized the compilation and publication of the first "Standardized Atlas of Environmental Protection and Soil and Water Conservation for Expressway Construction Projects in Complex and Dangerous Mountainous Areas" in the province, incorporating the main experiences and practices into the "Guidelines for Ecological and Environmental Protection in Expressway Construction in Sichuan Province" standard, providing technical support and experience guidance for environmental protection and soil and water conservation in expressway construction projects.

After the completion and opening to traffic of the Shimian section of the Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway, it will connect the Wanggangping Scenic Area and the Anshunchang Scenic Area. The travel time for tourists from Shimian to Wanggangping Scenic Area has been shortened from one hour to half an hour. Wanggangping Yi and Tibetan Ethnic Township can now directly travel by expressway, making both daily commuting and tourism more convenient. This is of great significance for promoting the social and economic development of the region, enhancing the support for disaster resistance and relief, and ensuring the safety of people's lives and property.

Extended reading

The Luding to Shimian Expressway is an important part of the "Sichuan Province Expressway Network Plan (2019-2035)". The total estimated investment of the project is approximately 17.408 billion yuan. The project starts from Sangangping, Zali Village, Luding County, connecting to the Ya 'an-Kangding Expressway and extending along the Dadu River. It is 96.51 kilometers long and is built to the standard of a two-way four-lane expressway with a designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The route of the Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway is highly consistent with the path of the Red Army's Long March, making it a genuine "Red Road". It serves as a connecting channel for the two major transportation arteries in western Sichuan, the Ya 'an-Xichang and Ya 'an-Kangding Expressways, and is an important part of the "Tibetan-Yi Corridor" proposed by the renowned scholar Fei Xiaotong. The bridge and tunnel ratio of the entire project line is approximately 86.5%. The tunnels are parallel and close to multiple regional active major fault zones. In the view of industry experts, building such a large-scale, long and deeply buried tunnel group along the parallel fault zone of a high-intensity earthquake area is a challenge to the engineering forbidden zone and is "a first" in the world's engineering field.

Apart from the sections that are about to be opened to traffic, the remaining parts of the Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway are also under accelerated construction. As of now, a total of 98.5% of the subgrade works, 97.5% of the bridge works and 89.8% of the tunnel works have been completed along the entire Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway. According to estimates, the remaining sections of the Luzhou-Shijiazhuang Expressway will be opened to traffic in two phases. Among them, the section from Sangangping Interchange to Hailuogou Interchange in Luding, approximately 46 kilometers, is expected to be opened to traffic in 2025, and the section from Hailuogou Interchange to Wanggangping Interchange, approximately 18 kilometers, is expected to be opened to traffic in 2026.

After the project is completed, the travel time from Luding to Shimian will be shortened from 2.5 hours to about 1 hour. The living circle between the two places will successfully enter the "1-hour" era, and the expressway network in Sichuan Province will be further improved.