It is learnt from Yichang Municipal Bureau for Urban Planning that Specialized Planning for Expressway System of Yichang Central Urban Area is in public stage after experts’ review.
Having listened to the introduction from planning organization unit and checked the text of the planning, the expert group optimized and deepened the “three longitudinal and five horizontal roads network” set in Urban Master Planning of Yichang (2011-2030). Taking account of the functional orientation, the overall coordination, environmental implication, project actionability and planning consistency of the expressway system, they added Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway into the expressway system, turning the previous network into “four longitudinal and five horizontal roads network”.
It’s informed that the overall length of the expressway within the central urban area is 260km, the density of the expressway network is 0.77km per square kilometer. In principle, the principal line will be bidirectional six-lane road. As for those sections with limited land conditions in old city, bidirectional four-lane road can be implemented, the design speed is controlled within the range of 60 to 80km per hour.
Four Longitudinal Expressways
The first longitudinal expressway:
It consists of the 4th Dongshan Road and its extension one. The whole line, about 47.8km long, is newly built expressway from the 2nd Xiling Road to NO. 325 Provincial Road(the fifth horizontal expressway). Its project investment is about 4.1 billion RMB. This expressway is mainly for rapid transport links among such groups as Xiling, Wujiagang, Xiaoting and Baiyang, as well as long and medium-distance rapid transportation between the airport and Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway.
The second longitudinal expressway:
It consists of the Three Gorges Highway and its extension one. The whole line, about 47.9km long, is from Shuanghong Road to NO. 325 Provincial Road(the fifth horizontal expressway). Its project investment is about 2.71 billion RMB. It is planned to be a 8 to 10-lane expressway, which is important rapid north-south transport channel of central urban area, linking such groups as Xiaoxita, Xiling, Wujiagang, Xiaoting and Baiyang, as well as connecting with Wuhan-Yichang Expressway and Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway.
At the section from Shuanghong Road to Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, the interchange of the Development Avenue is planned to be perfected, the interchanges of the Gangyao Road, Huaxi Road and Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway will be newly built, and the present interchange of Yizi Road will be remolded. The toll station near Development Avenue will be moved southwards to the interchange nearby of Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway.
The third longitudinal expressway:
This one consists of the 1st Jiangnan Road and Jiangnan Revenue. The whole line, with bidirectional six to eight lanes, is designed to be newly-built expressway from the 2rd Dongyue Road to NO. 325 Provincial Road (the fifth horizontal expressway). It is 64.8km long with an investment of 3.04 billion RMB, five interchanges and eight simple interchanges will be built.
It’s informed that this expressway mainly bears two duties: one is the most important rapid link way along the south bank of the Yangtze River, offering long and medium-distance rapid transportation service; the other is to link up rapid pathway crossing rivers within urban area, serving for regional development construction.
Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway
Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway is the first-class one, it is 31.32km long with design speed of 80km per hour and bidirectional 4 lanes. Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway is planned to be a city expressway, along which five interchanges including Yichang-Zigui Highway, extension part of the Huaxi Road, Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway, Baokang-Yichang Expressway and Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway will be built and the construction land of the interchanges will be restricted. The links between Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway and peripheral expressways system will be strengthened so as to shunt through traffic and establish the protection circle of the main urban area. In addition, simple interchanges will be built according to the land development along the line so that the service function of Xiaoxita-Yaqueling Expressway would be improved.
Five Horizontal Expressways
The first horizontal expressway:
It starts from Fanba Expressway (the special way built for the Three Gorges transportation) of Jiangnan Avenue in the west to Hurong (Shanghai-Chengdu) Expressway in the east, with the distance of the 36.7 kilometers long, which passes the 2nd Dongyue Road, Miaozui Bridge, the 2nd Xiling Road, Fazhan Avenue and Yizi Road. Being an important internal transition channel, especially for Xiling and Dianjun Group, it also connects Xiling, Dianjun and Xiaoxita Group, making it easy to connect Fanba Expressway of Jiangnan and Hurong Expressway.
According to the plan, the main section of Miaozui Bridge will be built as an elevated highway, after passing Zhenzhu Road, Yiling Avenue, Dongshan Avenue, crossing the railway by tunnel, Tiyuchang Road and then come to the surface near Yunlin Road.
The second horizontal expressway:
It consists of the Yiling Bridge, the 3rd Shengli Road and Gangyao Road, the 12.8 kilometers long expressway starts from Fanba Expressway of Jiangnan in the west to the 4th Dongshan Road in the east. Thereinto, the junction of Dongshan Avenue is the most difficult section to transform. The main section of the 3rd Shengli Road are planned to be transformed into a bidirectional 4-lane road and former parallel ramp coming down from the bridge are planned to be changed into vertical ramp, alleviating the traffic pressure on the ground. The railway passage will be closed and the ramp turning right from east to west will be built to improve the traffic safety.
The third horizontal expressway:
It consists of Wujiagang Bridge and Huaxi Road, the 23 kilometers long expressway starts from Fanba Expressway of Jiangnan to Yichang-Badong Section of Hurong Expressway in the east. Wujiagang Bridge and the both ends will be elevated highway while the remaining sections will be built on the ground mainly.
The road designing, from Wujiagang Bridge to Hanyi Expressway, passing through residential, commercial area, is finished. The elevated road will not come to ground until it reaches Hanyi Expressway. Besides, it will leave room for bus rapid transit. On its intersection with Wuhan-Yichang Railway, bidirectional 6-lane road with culvert under it will be built, thus having six lanes on the main road and four lanes on the side road.
The fourth horizontal expressway:
It consists of Honghuatao Bridge, Taozichong Road and Ziyao Road, invested about 4.63 billion RMB. It is 15.7 kilometers long and stars from Yichang-Yueyang Expressway of Jiangnan in the west to the 4th Dongshan Road in the east. It functions as a connecter to Yangtze River-Bridge as well as to three longitudinal expressways and Fanba Expressway of Jiangnan, the fourth horizontal expressway serves as a transition of fast traffic and channel to the outside.
According to the planning, after the completion of the road, the rapid transition come into being, so it will be very easy to reach the Sanxia Airport, the 4th Dongshan Road, and the Fanba Expressway. Besides, in order to better serve the Sanxia Airport, a new exclusive interchange will be built.
The fifth horizontal expressway:
It consists of Zhicheng Yangtze River Bridge, NO. 225 and NO. 325 Provincial Roads with the length of 35.8 km long. It starts from Yiyue Expressway of Jiangnan in the west to Hanyi Section of Huyu Expressway (Shanghai to Chongqing) in the east. It mainly connects Zhijiang and Yidu and eases the freight traffic of Baiyang Group. Located at the edge of the city center, it will relieve the pressure of through traffic and regional freight traffic. Four big lanes are planned to be built on the road to meet the needs of the main channel of the freight traffic. On the Expressway, 5 interchanges, 5 simple overpasses and two entrance and exit ramps will be built as well.
(Reporter Ye Xiaomei)