Transportation, as the significant role it plays in urban economic and social development, is often described as an artery of the city. Because of this, Yichang Comprehensive Planning offers a scientific layout for the transportation development of the whole city.

　　Getting to Outside Easier

　　According to Yichang Comprehensive Planning, Yichang Government will upgrade Three Gorges Airport to be a major aviation tourism airport providing sub-line as well as the mainline service in western Hubei Province and in eastern Chongqing area; in the middle and long term, to be an international and national mainline airport with 4E criteria. Besides, another two heliports will be built in Three Gorges Dam Area and Huangbohe Tourist Area in response to requirement of tourism and disaster relief. 　　

　　There are seven railways in programming, of which three railways were completed, including Jiaoliu railway (Jiaozuo-liuzhou), Yiwan railway (Yichang-Wanzhou) and Hanyi railway (Wuhan-Yichang). Other four planned railways are as follows: Shiyi railway (Shiyan-Yichang), Yishi railway (Yichang-Shimen), Yizhang railway (Yichang-Zhangjiajie) and Ziyun railway (Zijingling- Yunchi) will be built.

　　Planned expressway network structure will be “One Ring Eight Lines” – with a shape like two crosses not superposed. There are 4 expressways completed: Wuhan-Yichang section and Yichang-Enshi section of Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, Jingzhou-Yichang section of Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway, Fanba section of Yichang-Yueyang Expressway. Some expressways are still under construction, such as Yichang-Badong section of Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway and Baokang-Yichang Expressway. Some other proposed expressways are Yichang-Zhangjiajie Expressway, Taipingxi-Zhangjiakou Expressway, Yichang-Yueyang Expressway, Yidu-Laifeng Expressway.　

　　Seven ports will be built in central urban area as the core operating area of the Three Gorges Pivotal Port, including Taipingxi Port, Maoping Port, Aijia Port, Honghuatao Port, Yunchi Port, Baiyang Port, Tianjiahe Port. The emphasis is put on the construction of Pinghu Peninsula as a Three Gorges International Cruise Center.

　　Meanwhile, on the basis of the current five Yangtze River bridges, five more Yangtze River bridges will be constructed. They are: Honghuatao Bridge, Xiangxi Bridge, Miaozui Bridge (under construction), Wujiagang Bridge, Baiyang Bridge.  .

　　Improving the Urban Transportation Artery

　　It is demonstrated in the urban planning that city roads consist of expressways, trunk roads, secondary trunk roads and branch ways, and the trunk roads can be subdivided into main trunk roads and ordinary trunk roads. The expressways and main trunk roads will act as shortcut connecting city clusters, in which the roads is distributed in the shape of “Grid” with free extension relying on terrain.

　　The central city will strengthen the shortcut connection of city clusters on the basis of construction of expressways and main trunk roads. As the key channel for city clusters connection, the expressway is planned to form a grid pattern of “three lengthwise and five transverse”. The “three lengthwise” are the following: Dongshan 4th Road—Airport East Road, Three Gorges Accomodation Road, Jiangnan 1st Road—Jiangnan Avenue—Gaobazhou Road—S254  Provincial Highway. The “five transverse” are as following: Yichang-Zigui Road—Development Avenue—Xiling 2nd Road—Miaozui Bridge—Dongyue 2nd Road, Gangyao Road—Shengli 3rd Road—Yiling Yangtze River Bridge—Yiqiao Road, Huaxi Road—Wujiagang Bridge, Ziyao Road —Taozichong road—Honghuatao Bridge and S325 Provincial Highway. As an important complement to the expressway network, main trunk roads will play a vital role in city cluster connection, and the semi-closed management will be implemented. The “Four lengthwise and three transverse” layout is planned to form a road network. The “four lengthwise” includes Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Road, Chengdong Avenue—Hanyi Road, Dongshan Avenue—Wulin Road—Xiaoting Avenue—State Road 318, Ziting Road—Zhangjiawan Heng Road. The “three transverse” are as follows: Yixing Avenue, Tumen—Xiakou Road, Zhangjiawan Road—S107 Provincial Highway.

　　In addition, ordinary trunk roads and secondary trunk roads will form the internal frame of road network in central city functioning as the city transportation channel among the city functional areas and industry function areas.

　　Convenient Public Transit

　　The overall city planning suggests that the development of public transit should be given priority to make it convenient for citizens to go out. And the efficient multi-mode and multi-level public transit system, with rail transit and bus rapid transit as the mainstay, the normal bus transit as main part, taxies, ferries and vaporettos as the supplement, is to be established. By 2030, the public transit should take forty-five percent of passenger transport by motor vehicle in the whole municipal administrative area and fifty percent of passenger transport by motor vehicle in the central city area.

　　Three rail transit lines are planned as follows: the first one is from Xiaoxita Yiling station to Wujiagang Gongsheng Station via Three Gorges Road, Yemingzhu Road, Yiling Road and Jucheng Road; the second one is expected to connect Zhijiang and Yidu, now it is from Gongtong East Road Station to Baiyang via East Road Station, Dongshan Avenue, Airport Road and Xiaoting Avenue; the third one is from Xiaoxita Yiling Station to Dianjun District General Road via Development Avenue, Xiling 1st Road and Changjiang Tunnel, and the line is connected to Yichang South Station.

　　Five rapid transit lines are planned as follows: Yiling Passenger Station to Yichang East Station, Yichang East Station to Longquan, Yichang South Station to Jiangjiawan, Wujiagang Gongsheng Station to Xiling Back Road, Wuyi Square to Baiyang.

　　Twelve backbone public transit lines with a total length of 230km are planned. It is planned that the total number of taxis is limited within 6030, which means 20 taxies are available for 10,000 citizens and the rate of running a taxi without passenger is limited within thirty-five percent. However, the taxi service should be improved.

　　(Reporter Gong Changjun, Correspondent Wang Junwu)