World's longest expressway tunnel opens to traffic in Xinjiang
(VOVWORLD) - The 22-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.
 The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel as seen from above. (Photo: CCTV/REUTERS) |
Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.
In addition, this new tunnel will help alleviate the problem of many trucks carrying coal, agricultural products, and livestock getting stuck on the winding mountain roads between the northern and southern parts of the Tianshan Mountains, which freeze over in winter.