Expressways of China

[note 1] The early 1990s saw the start of the country's massive plan to upgrade its network of roads.

[citation needed] By the end of 2022, the total length of China's expressway network reached 177,000 kilometres (110,000 mi).

[7] By end of 2023, the total length of China's expressway network reached 184,000 kilometres (114,000 mi).

The shift from rail to road can be attributed to the rapid development of the expressway network in China.

Despite this, in October 1988, four years later, two full-speed, fully enclosed, controlled-accessed expressway sections from Shenyang to Anshan and Dalian to Sanshilipu totaling 131 kilometres (81 mi) were completed, with the 108 kilometres (67 mi) middle portion of the expressway remaining a highway.

[3][dead link‍][citation needed] On 21 December 1984, construction began on the Shanghai–Jiading Expressway in the city of Shanghai.

In December 1987, construction of the 142.69-kilometre (88.66 mi) long Jingjintang Expressway started, connecting the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin, and the province of Hebei.

It the first expressway in mainland China that uses a World Bank loan for international open bidding.

Hu claimed that the current highway construction is facing problems such as pre-approval and evaluation assessment.

This policy, during the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” period, would focus on five aspects:[17] In 2020, all toll booths at provincial borders were abolished in favour of ETC, greatly reducing traffic congestion.

It is expected that all national expressways will connect prefecture-level administrative regions (except Sansha), other cities and counties with 100,000 and more populations, and important border checkpoints.

The Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates the speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph), effective since 1 May 2004.

Overtaking on the right, speeding, and illegal use of the emergency belt (or hard shoulder) cost violators stiff penalties.

The signs on Chinese expressways use white lettering on a green background, like Japanese highways, Italian autostrade, Swiss autobahns and United States freeways.

Signs indicate exits, toll gates, service/refreshment areas, intersections, and also warn about keeping a fair distance apart.

Signs urging drivers to slow down, warning about hilly terrain, banning driving in emergency lanes, or about different road surfaces are also present.

These displays may advise against speeding, indicate upcoming road construction, warn of traffic jams, or alert drivers to rain.

The total costs of the national expressway network are estimated to be 2 trillion yuan (some US$300 billion as rate in 2016).

Examples of these companies include Huabei Expressway Co., Ltd., Northeast Expressway Co., Ltd., Hunan Changyong Expressway Co., Ltd., and Guangxi Wuzhou Transportation Co., Ltd.[13][14][15] Efforts to impose a national gasoline tax to finance construction of the tollways met with opposition and it has been very difficult for both the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council to pass such a tax through the National People's Congress of China.

It is noteworthy that cheaper expressways do not necessarily mean poorer roads or a greater risk of traffic congestion.

In Tibet, this is done to stimulate economic development, whereas in Hainan, the cost is covered by a provincial fuel tax, first instated in 1994.

Unlike the road networks in most nations, most Chinese expressways are not directly owned by the state, but rather are owned by for-profit corporations (which have varying amounts of public and private ownership) which borrow money from banks or securities markets based on revenue from projected tollways.

[citation needed] Since the late-1990s, there were proposals to fund public highways by means of a fuel tax, but this was voted down by the National People's Congress.

[30] According to Zhongxin.com, by reducing toll fees, it will lead to logistic costs reductions, another problem encountered by the country's expressway system.

[33] Reforms of the tollway system were planned by the National People's Congress with the inclusion of cost reduction of bridges.

[34] However, the toll system was also praised by the World Bank for encouraging construction/maintenance, discouraging overuse, and not unduly favouring roads over other forms of transportation like rail.

The present-day network announced in 2017, termed the 7, 11, 18 Network (also known as the National Trunk Highway System, NTHS), uses one, two or four digits in the G-series numbering system, leaving three-figured G roads as the China National Highways.

Chinese expressway interchange sign
An expressway exit in Guizhou
Toll plaza on the Capital Airport Expressway, Beijing
Chinese expressway toll charges table. In many jurisdictions it is legally required that charges be openly disclosed. Shown here is the toll charges table at Doudian exit on the Jingshi Expressway in southwest Beijing. (Autumn 2004 image)
Map of the National Expressway Network
Radial line North–South line East–West line
Zonal ring line (Dot line: Planned)
Signs using the new numbering system as seen on G1 Beijing–Harbin Expressway in Tianjin