Beiheng Passage nears completion after a decade of construction
The signage for the Beiheng Passage has been installed at the Huangxing Road exit in Yangpu.
Shanghai's Beiheng Passage, under construction for about 10 years, is nearing completion, with the final stages now underway.
The eastern section is currently undergoing electromechanical testing and road surface finishing, and is expected to be operational by the end of this month, according to Shanghai Chengtou Highway Investment Group, main builder of the project.
The western part of the passage in the downtown area has already opened, relieving traffic congestion between the Beihong Road Interchange on the Middle Ring Road and the Tianmu Road Intercharge on the busy South-North Elevated Highway.
Once open, the main line of the eastern section will further reduce travel times across the city.
Driving from the easternmost Zhoujiazui Road Tunnel in Pudong to the westernmost Hongqiao Transport Hub will take about 30 minutes under normal traffic conditions, cutting travel time by nearly half, the group said.
The signage for the Beiheng Passage has been installed at the Huangxing Road exit in Yangpu, and workers were busy testing the tunnel's electromechanical systems.
The passage stretches 19.1 kilometers from Middle Ring Road's Beihong Road Interchange in the west to Zhoujiazui and Neijiang roads in the east, passing through six districts – Changning, Putuo, Jing'an, Huangpu, Hongkou and Yangpu.
The 19.1-kilometer passage connects Changning, Putuo, Jing'an, Huangpu, Hongkou and Yangpu districts.
The eastern section, spanning 8.2 kilometers, connects the Tianmu Road Interchange in Jing'an District with Zhoujiazui Road in Yangpu and includes multiple entry and exit points.
A notable feature of the construction is the use of unmanned technology for asphalt paving in the tunnel.
"This approach increases efficiency by 30 percent and improves safety by reducing workers' exposure to the paving environment," said Hou Jianfeng, chief engineer of the project.
The passage is expected to alleviate traffic congestion, particularly on the parallel Yan'an Road Elevated Highway and the northern section of the Inner Ring Road.
It will provide a new, rapid transit route connecting northern districts to key city hubs, including Hongqiao and Pudong airports.
Once completed, the passage will also enhance connectivity within the Yangtze River Delta region by providing a swift channel for vehicles traveling from neighboring Jiangsu Province to downtown Shanghai and Pudong.
