The newly completed highway in Juungar Banner in Ordos city in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region will officially open to traffic on Jan 1, 2021. [Photo/ordosnews.com]

A newly completed expressway in Ordos city in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region will officially open to traffic at 8 am on Jan 1, 2021.

The expressway starts from Dafanpu village in Juungar Banner, passes through Miaohao village and finally ends at Jungar Banner’s Longkou town.

Construction of the highway started in May 2017 and lasted for three and a half years. Total investment in the route reached 3.63 billion yuan ($544.64 million).

The 44.67-kilometer-long expressway was constructed as a standard four-lane two-way road, with a designed speed limit of 80 km per hour.

A grand ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new highway in Juungar Banner in Ordos city in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region is held on Dec 29. [Photo/ordosnews.com]

Three ramp toll stations, one service area and one management sub-center have been set up along the highway.

The new Ordos expressway is the southern extension of the highway linking Hohhot to Juungar Banner. It is one of the essential routes out of Inner Mongolia in the central part of the autonomous region. 

It is also a key project proposed by the autonomous region to build a strong transportation foundation with "seven networks."

The newly-completed highway in Juungar Banner in Ordos city is ready to open to traffic. [Photo/ordosnews.com]