Tunnel-bridge project quietly crosses Gucun Park
The newly opened Qilianshan Road Tunnel that runs beneath Gucun Park.
A key tunnel and bridge project opened to the public in Baoshan District today, improving traffic in north Shanghai without spoiling the ecology of Gucun Park.
The 2.3-kilometer-long Luxiang-Qilianshan Roads Channel project includes a tunnel beneath the park, the largest in Asia, and the city's Outer Ring Road, along with the Qilianshan Road Bridge spanning the Wenzaobang River, the city's third major waterway after the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek.
The tunnel has shortened the driving distance between Jingpohu-Luxiang Roads and Qilianshan-Tangqi Roads from 40 minutes to five because drivers previously had to detour around the park.
The project will complete the link between Baoshan, Putuo and Changning districts while alleviating traffic pressure on Hutai Road, according to the Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Road and Bridge Group, the city's major road and bridge constructor.
It is a key project of the city's overall transportation network, stretching from Songhong Road in the south to northern areas including Luodian and Gucun.
The Qilianshan Road Tunnel beneath Gucun Park.
A major challenge for the project was the park sprawling in the middle of the channel, said Yu Donglei, the project manager for the tunnel section.
"An elevated road would impact the natural scenery of the park, while massive digging would damage its ecological system," said Yu.
Covering 4.3 square kilometers, the park is famous for its annual Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring with around 14,000 cherry trees.
A huge pipe-jacking machine, said to be the longest in the world at 445 meters, was used to dig the tunnel beneath the park. Advanced technologies were also used, including an automatic measuring system and slurry separation equipment. In addition to the park, it dug through two creeks, the S20 highway as well as Metro Line 7 and the under-construction Line 15. The tunnel comes within 7.8 meters of the Metro.
Digging began on October 28, 2019 and was completed on November 17, 2020.
"The project offers valuable experience for long-distance pipe jacking in the city, with intricate underground tunnels and subway lines," Yu said.
With the new tunnel and bridge, traffic flow on Hutai Road, a key north-south thoroughfare, will be reduced by 22 percent, according to the Road and Bridge Group.
Final preparations for the opening of the tunnel.
