Right after Dianjun Avenue was put into use and Miaozui Yangtze River Bridge was renamed Zhixi Yangtze River Bridge, a brief groundbreaking ceremony marked the official start of the construction of Xiling No.2 Expressway, a noteworthy project which will contribute to the new three-dimensional transportation network in urban areas of Yichang city.
Xiling No.2 Road Expressway will be constructed on the on the basis of existing road facilities. The artery will enjoy its design speed of 60 km/h. The project features speediness and time-efficiency for it is free from red lights and public interruptions, after the completion, it is expected to take 10 minutes to drive from Xiazhou Avenue to CBD.
According to Zheng Beihai, vice director of Administration Office of Major Projects, Yichang Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Xiling No.2 Road Expressway, connecting Zhixi Yangtze River Bridge at the west and Xiazhou Avenue at the east, is an east-west main channel along the city in the overall planning of Yichang as well as one important part of the expressway network of “3 north-southern roads + 5 east-western roads” with an investment project budget of about 3.19 billion yuan. On the basis of current Xiling No.2 Road, the expressway will start from Zhixi Yangtze River Bridge at the west, running over Yanjiang Avenue via a viaduct, down to Dongshan Avenue, and cross a railway beneath. Then, at Tiyuchang road, it will go through an underground tunnel in the sharp slope, and again up to a viaduct above the intersection of Daxue Road. After detouring several new buildings, the expressway will make its way through China Three Gorges University, cross Three Gorges Expressway benethe, go on to a viaduct of 90 degrees to the south over Fazhan Avenue and finally reach Xiazhou Avenue. (Reporter Zhao Wei, correspondent Chen Feng)
Three-dimensional Transportation Reduces Traffic Pressure in Old Urban Areas
What convenience will be brought to citizens by converting the “two-dimensional” Xiling No.2 Road into a “three-dimensional” one? On Dec. 31, reporter at the groundbreaking field consulted the heads of Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development sector about some issues concerned by citizens.
Q: Why not build Xiling No.2 Expressway (the first expressway in central Yichang) on the ground?
A: The project of Xiling No.2 Road Expressway in the downtown is the renovation and expansion of existing roads. Both sides of the current road have already been developed and packed with dense housing and numerous enterprises. To reduce demolitions and social consequences, the construction of the expressway will adopt a three-dimensional pattern, i.e., the transformation of Xiling No.2 Road will mainly adopt viaducts and underpasses.
Q: How about the effects of solving the traffic congestion after the completion of expressway in the downtown?
A: The expressway refers to a cluster of traffic-light-free main lines with a driving speed above 60km/h in downtown city. The connection of rings of urban expressway network will effectively ease the traffic pressure in central city, especially for Yichang, a city formed in strip shape. In addition, smooth, convenient and speedy expressway network can accelerate the formation of new city look embellished by hills, waters and rings of freeways.
Q: How can citizens benefit from the completion of the expressway?
A: (1) The construction of expressway network can effectively develop the city, promote the urbanization and ease traffic congestion in old urban area. It will also meet the need to establish framework of urban space, improve urban road network layout and promote the development of land as well as Yichang New Area.
(2) The expressway system will connect short-term and long-term road network projects in an automobile-based and hence more rapid manner. After the completion of the expressway (Xiling No.2 Road - Zhixi Yangtze River Bridge - Dianjun Avenue), it will effectively link Yichang Development Zone, old urban area in Xiling District and Jiangnan New Zone in Dianjun District. For example, it took citizens in Dianjun District nearly 50 minutes from Jiangnan to Yichang Development Zone; while there will be only 20 minutes\' drive after the completion of the expressway.
(3) Absence of traffic lights and shorter travel distance ensure higher traffic efficiency and less fuel consumption on the expressway, which will contribute to energy conservation and emission reduction.
Q: Will vehicle noise on the expressway disturb residents?
A: There are more than 10 meters between the viaduct and resident buildings as planned on the blueprint. With a higher degree of smoothness and flatness, the new expressway will bring about no more noise than the original one. Moreover, after the completion of expressway-bridge, a noise-proof screen will be built at the same time to considerably weaken dissemination of vehicle noises. The noise limit along both sides of city expressway are respectively 70 decibel in the daytime and 55 decibel in the nighttime, being equal to proper functioning sound of window air conditioner.
Q: According to the transformation route, Xiling No.2 Road Expressway will be intersected with Dongshan Avenue BRT under construction , so what will the designing and building department do to deal with it?
A: There will be no conflict for a three-dimensional transportation pattern will be applied to Xiling No.2 Road and Dongshan Road BRT passageway, i.e., both vehicles on the expressway and Dongshan Road BRT go their own ways. (Reporter: Zhao Wei)