The Chengbei Expressway, which spans 14.78 kilometers, reduces the travel time between the western part of downtown Suzhou and the city’s eastern areas to just 15 minutes. [Photo/WeChat account: snd-szgxqfb]
The reconstruction of the Chengbei Expressway in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province was officially completed when the main bridge of the Changxu Bridge was opened to traffic on Dec 24, local media outlets reported.
Drivers now require just 15 minutes to travel from the western part of downtown Suzhou to the city's eastern areas.
The Chengbei Expressway, which spans 14.78 kilometers, starts from the Grand Canal in Suzhou New District, passes through Jinchang New City, the core area of Pingjiang New City and the Loubei Community in Xiangcheng district before ending in Suzhou Industrial Park.
The section between Jinwan Street and Changxu Bridge was designed as an urban expressway with a maximum speed of 80 km per hour, while the remaining section functions as the city's arterial roads with a maximum speed of 60 km per hour.
Smart devices have been installed along the expressway to detect traffic violations.
The project is expected to ease the traffic flow on the Northern Ring Road and alleviate congestion on the east-west roads in downtown Suzhou. The expressway is also expected to leverage the geographical advantages of Jinchang New City and Pingjiang New City to promote the socioeconomic development of the northern area of Gusu district.
