SHENNAN Thoroughfare, the most important road in Shenzhen, was extended to link with Bao’an Thoroughfare outside the SEZ on Saturday, forming China’s longest urban road.
The 28-kilometer Shennan Thoroughfare, which runs from east to west through the special economic zone (SEZ), and the 32.8-kilometer Bao’an Thoroughfare have converged at Xincheng Checkpoint in Bao’an District, extending westward to reach Chang’an in Dongguan.
The new checkpoint, which became operational Saturday, is expected to lighten traffic at Nantou Checkpoint, Li Wenlong, chief of Bao’an District, said at a ceremony Saturday.
A drive from the Shenzhen Press Tower in downtown Futian to Xincheng Checkpoint on Saturday took about 20 minutes, seven minutes less than before, a Daily Sunshine report said yesterday.
Vice Mayor Zhang Siping said he believed the new road will greatly assist commuters in Bao’an and help narrow the gap in economic development between Bao’an and the SEZ.
Shenzhen began to construct the link road between Shennan Thoroughfare and Bao’an Thoroughfare in August 2005. The 360-million-yuan (US$44-million) road is 1.96 kilometers long, with a designed speed of 60 kmph.
The Bao’an Thoroughfare, passing through all five subdistricts and the airport in Bao’an District, was put into service in February and helped cut the travel time between Shenzhen and Dongguan to within 45 minutes. (Mu Zi)