Expanded highway brings Zunyi and Guiyang closer

The expanded and improved Guiyang-Zunyi Highway, also a section of Lanhai Expressway, opened to traffic on Jan 2.

With a total length of 154 kilometers, the expanded expressway begins at Xinpu New Area in Zunyi and ends at Xiaba Hub in Guiyang, Guizhou province. It has 122 bridges and 20 tunnels, and allows vehicles to move at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

"During holidays, the old Guiyang-Zunyi highway was packed with some 70,000 vehicles using it every day," said Zhang Xiankai, a government official responsible for the expansion project. "Now the highway has been expanded to meet the requirements of the two cities' development."

Li Xuelin, a resident of Zunyi who works in Guiyang, said that the new highway made commuting between the two cities more convenient. "The new highway cuts driving time by 45 minutes, and the toll fee is only 100 yuan ($15.4)."

The expanded highway will also localize economic development, serving as a shortcut through the middle of Guizhou province, and connecting the neighboring provinces and economic zones alongside the Belt and Road.

For Zunyi Xiazi Chili City, China's largest chili trading market located in Xiazi county of Xinpu New Area in Zunyi, better transportation means a broader market. Therefore, the county is eager to build more roads that connect with the new highway.