Expressways of China

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Chinese expressway, complete with signage. Shown here is the G106 (Jingkai Expressway section) in south Beijing. (Summer 2004 image)

G030 (Jingshi Expressway section) after Zhaoxindian/Changxindian exit (Early July 2004 image)

Expressway road sign in Shanghai

This article is about the expressways of mainland China. See also: List of roads and streets in Hong Kong, List of roads in Macau, Highway System in Taiwan for expressways in these respective regions.

The Expressway Network of the People's Republic of China is one of the longest in the world. The network is also known as National Trunk Highway System (NTHS). The total length of China's expressways is about 45,400 km at the end of 2006 [1],[2],[3], the world's second longest only after the United States and roughly equals that in Canada, Germany, and France combined. In the last four years, about 4800 km of expressways were added each year on average.

Expressways in China are a fairly recent addition to a complicated network of roads. China did not have an inch of expressways before 1988. Until 1993, very few expressways existed. One of the earliest expressways nationwide was the Jingshi Expressway between Beijing and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province. This expressway now forms part of the Jingzhu Expressway, currently the longest expressway nationwide at over 2,000 km.

1 History
2 Costs
3 Expressway nomenclature
4 Expressway tolls and financing
- 4.1 Toll methods
5 List of expressways in China
6 References
7 External links

Originally, China had been carrying out an ambitious plan to build up a 35,000 kilometer national trunk highway system before 2010. The main objective of the NTHS was to construct 12 high standard trunk roads, comprised of 5 longitudinal roads and 7 latitudinal roads.

However, by the end of 2005, there were already 1.9 million km of highways,^[1] which includes 41,000 km (25,480 miles) of expressways.^[2]^[3] On January 13, 2005, it was announced by Zhang Chunxian, minister of communications, that China will build a network of 85,000 km expressways over the next three decades, connecting all provincial capitals and cities with a population of over 200,000. Of this total length, 68,000 km are trunk roads and 17,000 km are 5 regional ring roads. There are also 2 parallel routes and more than 30 connecting links. 32,000 km of expressway are to be built in central and western regions.

Construction of expressways began in 1988 and the network is scheduled to be complete in 2020. The scale of the project can be seen by the fact that on January 1, 1989, the PRC had 147 km of freeways, but by January 1, 2007, it had 45,600 km of freeway, 4,400 km of which were built in 2006.

The express highway system is set to expand to 65,000 km by 2010, 85,000 km by 2020, 120,000 km by 2030, and 175,000 km by 2050.

The total costs of the national expressway network will be 2 trillion yuan (some 240 billion US dollars). From 2005 to 2010, the annual investment will run from 140 billion yuan (17 billion US dollars) to 150 billion yuan (18 billion US dollars), while from 2010 to 2020, the annual investment will be around 100 billion yuan (12 billion US dollars).

The construction fund will come from vehicle purchase tax, fees and taxes collected by local governments, state bonds, domestic investment and foreign investment. Unlike other freeway systems, almost all of the roads on the NTHS/"7918 Network" are toll roads that are largely financed by private companies under contract from provincial governments. The private companies raise money through bond and stock offerings and recover money through tolls.

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 Communist Party of China and the State Council to pass such a tax through the National People's Congress of China.

An old signpost refers the Jingshi Expressway as the Jingshi Freeway, thus hinting at its previous nomenclature. (Summer 2004 image)

Neither officially named "motorway" nor "highway," the PRC used to call these roads "freeways". In this sense, the word "free" means that the traffic is free-flowing; that is, cross traffic is grade separated and the traffic on the freeway is not impeded by traffic control devices like traffic lights and stop signs. However, many misinterpret "free" as meaning "no cost", and this may be misleading because most of the expressways charge tolls. Sometime in the 1990s, "expressways" became the standardised term.

Note that "highways" refers to China National Highways, which are not expressways at all.

"Express routes" exist too; they are akin to expressways but are mainly inside cities. The "express route" name is a derivation of the Chinese name kuaisu gonglu (compare with expressway, gaosu gonglu). Officially, "expressway" is used for both expressways and express routes, which is also the standard used here.

Expressway Network Expressways in China mainly radiate from Beijing, but also from area to area. Beijing currently has nine expressways radiating from the city centre (see Expressways of Beijing for more); at least two more are planned.

The Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China has raised the speed limit nationwide from 110 km/h to 120 km/h, effective May 1, 2004. It may still take some time for local expressways to raise the speed limit accordingly.

A minimum speed limit is in force: the minimum is 70 km/h. On overtaking lanes, however, this could be as high as 100 km/h to 110 km/h. Penalties for driving both below and in excess of the prescribed speed limits are in force.

Only motor vehicles are allowed to enter expressways. As of May 1, 2004, "new drivers" (i.e., those with a PRC driver's licence for less than a year) are allowed on the expressways, something that was prohibited from the mid-1990s.

Overtaking on the right, speeding, and illegal use of the emergency belt (or hard shoulder) cost violators stiff penalties. Surprisingly, the overtaking on the right regulation is flaunted with alarming frequency.

Chinese expressway distances road sign. Shown here are some connections to the Expressways of Beijing in eastern Beijing. (Spring 2003 image)

Chinese expressway exit announcement sign. Shown here is an exit sign 20 km ahead on the Jingshen Expressway. (Summer 2004 image)

Chinese expressway exit sign (older version). Shown here is an exit sign to Liangxiang Airport in southwestern Beijing on the Jingshi Expressway. (Summer 2004 image)

Expressways in China are signposted in both Simplified Chinese and English (except for parts of the Jingshi Expressway, which relies fully on Chinese characters). This sharply reduces the language barrier; however, very few toll officials at toll gates speak English.

The signs on Chinese expressways use white lettering on a green background, like Japanese highways, Swiss Autobahns and U.S. freeways, but unlike freeways in Germany, France, Austria and the United Kingdom.

Exits are well signposted, with signs far ahead of exits. There are frequent signs that announce the next three exits. At each exit, there is a sign with the distance to the next exit. Exit signs are also posted 3000 m, 2000 m, 1000 m, and 500 m ahead of the exit, immediately before the exit, and at the exit itself.

Service areas and refreshment areas are standard on some of the older, more established expressways, and are expanding in number. Gas stations are frequent.

Signs indicate exits, toll gates, service/refreshment areas, intersections, and also warn about keeping a fair distance apart. "Distance checks" are commonplace; the idea here is to keep the two second rule (or, as PRC law requires, at least a 100 m distance between cars). Speed checks and speed traps are often signposted (in fact, on the Jingshen Expressway in the Beijing section, even the cameras have a warning sign above them), but some may just be scarecrow signs. Signs urging drivers to slow down, warning about hilly terrain, banning driving in emergency lanes, or about different road surfaces are also present. Also appearing from time to time are signs signaling the overtaking lane (which legally should only be used to pass other cars). Although most English signs are comprehensible, occasionally the English is garbled.

Some, if not most, expressways have digital displays. These displays may advise against speeding, indicate upcoming road construction, warn of traffic jams, or alert drivers to rain. Recommended detours are also signaled. The great majority of messages are in Chinese rather than English, however.

Most, if not all Chinese expressways are fitted with exit numbering systems. This system is used nationwide, and often begins at No. 1 (at one of the expressway's starting points). It is not perfect, however: the Jingshi Expressway's numbering system is ridden with chaos.

A rare exit number zero (nought) is seen only after the Jingshi Expressway enters Hebei.

Some exits have sub-exits (e.g. No. 14A, 14B, etc...).

Exit numbering has been standard from virtually day one, while some other nations are just catching on (e.g. Switzerland only in 2002).

Chinese expressway toll gate. Shown here is the Dujiakan toll gate on the Jingshi Expressway in southwest Beijing. (Summer 2004 image)

Nearly all expressways charge tolls. Tolls are roughly around CNY 0.5 per kilometre, and minimum rates (e.g. CNY 5) usually apply regardless of distance. However, some are more expensive (the Jinji Expressway costs around CNY 0.66 per kilometre) and some are less expensive (the Jingshi Expressway in Beijing costs around CNY 0.33 per kilometre). It is noteworthy that cheaper expressways do not necessarily mean poorer roads or a greater risk of traffic congestion.

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)

Expressway planning is performed by the Ministry of Transportation of the People's Republic of China. 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. One reason for this is that Chinese provinces, which are responsible for road building, have extremely limited powers to tax and even fewer powers to borrow.

Expressway construction has also been one of the rare instances in which the Communist Party of China and the State Council has had to back down on a major policy initiative. During the late-1990's, there were proposals to fund public highways by means of a fuel tax, but this was voted down by the National People's Congress.

Most expressways use a card system. Upon entrance to an expressway (or to a toll portion of the expressway), an entry card is handed over to the driver. The tolls to be paid are determined from the distance traveled when the driver hands the entry card back to the exit toll gate upon leaving the expressway. A small number of expressways do not use a card system. Passage through these expressways is relatively faster but it is economically less advantageous. An example of such an expressway would be the Jingtong Expressway.

A few expressways use sensor systems, where one sensor is at the toll gate (at a special passageway) and the other is on the passing vehicle.

At present, only cash is accepted as payment for tolls. Credit cards may be accepted in the future.

Municipalities: All expressways are ordered by direction (starting from the north, in west-to-east direction).
Other Regions: All expressways are ordered alphabetically.

Main article: Expressways of Beijing

Badaling Expressway (Madian - Kangzhuang)

(Jingda Expressway (Madian - Datong (Shanxi))

(Jinghu Expressway (Beijing - Shanghai)

Jingkai Expressway (Yuquanying - Yufa)
Jingshi Expressway (Liuliqiao - Shijiazhuang)

(Jingzhu Expressway (Liuliqiao - Zhuhai (Guangdong))

Jingcheng Expressway (Gaoliying - Chengde, under construction as of 2004)
Airport Expressway (Northern Approach Route and 2nd Expressway, under construction as of 2004)
Northern Jingjin Expressway (Tongzhou - Tianjin, under construction as of 2004)

Litian Expressway
Jingji Expressway (Jingping Expressway)
Southern Jingjin Expressway
Jingbao Expressway

The Hujia Expressway in Shanghai. (Summer 2001 image)

Main article: Expressways of Shanghai

Huhang Expressway(A8) (Xinzhuang Interchange - Hangzhou)
Huning Expressway(A11) (Zhenbei Road Interchange - Nanjing)

/ Jinghu Expressway (Beijing - Shanghai)

A9 Expressway (Waihuan Huqingping Interchange - Qingpu - Zhujiajiao)
A12 Expressway (Wenshui Road - Jiading - Taicang)
A4 Expressway (Xinzhuang Interchange - Fengxian - Jinshan)
A5 Expressway
A30 Expressway (Suburb circular expressway, partly G010 National Highway)

Main article: Expressways of Hebei

Huhangyong Expressway (Shanghai - Hangzhou - Ningbo)

^ Xubo, Liu. Highway development. Ministry of Communications of the People's Republic of China, 25 November 2005.
^ MacLeod, Calum. China's highways go the distance. USA TODAY, 29 January 2006.
^ Li, Lin. Expressways being built at frenetic pace. SINA English, 4 April 2006.