[1] The expressway began construction on June 14, 1992, was completed in February 1996, and opened to traffic November 28, 1996.

As the first highway in Jiangsu province, the Shanghai–Nanjing Expressway has up-to-date charge, monitoring, communications, lighting, safety and service facilities.

[citation needed] It was the first expressway in China to use remote traffic monitoring.

It runs from Zhenru, Shanghai to Maqun, Nanjing via Anting, Kunshan, Suzhou, Shuofang (硕放街道), Wuxi, Changzhou, Danyang, Zhenjiang and Jurong.

The Zhenjiang section (a branch highway) is 10.25 kilometres (6.37 miles) long.