Qitong Group
The Gongga to Zedang Expressway LJ2 Standard National Highway 349 project
The Gongga to Zedang Expressway LJ2 Standard National Highway 349(referred as "The Zegong High-grade Highway") project, undertaken by Sichuan Jiangyu Construction Engineering Co., Ltd, is a significant highway and tunnel construction initiative. This ambitious project, spanning 13.795 kilometers in total length, starts at a mileage of K41+900 and ends at K55+700. The project includes a mainline length of 13.795 kilometers and a ramp of 1.97 kilometers, located entirely within the Changguo Township of Gongga County, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region.
The entire route, situated at an average altitude of 3500 meters, adheres to the two-way four-lane first-class highway standard. The design speed is 100 kilometers per hour, and the bridge design vehicle load level is Highway Class I. Infrastructure along the route includes four large bridges totaling 1507.2 meters, eight medium-sized bridges totaling 463.24 meters, two small bridges totaling 38.2 meters, and 41 culverts spanning 1199.77 meters. Notably, there's also a tunnel, with a left line length of 784 meters and a right line length of 725 meters.
This project includes a comprehensive design for roadbed, bridges, culverts, tunnels, traffic management, and landscaping. Quantitatively, the project involves 2.46 million cubic meters of earth and stone for the roadbed, 45576.17 cubic meters for protection, a drainage ditch of 28273 meters, 36 culverts, three passages, four large bridges totaling 1505.5 meters, eight medium-sized bridges totaling 342.28 meters, a small bridge of 8 meters, and a tunnel of 1473 meters (single hole).
"Zegong High-Grade Highway: A Significant Infrastructure Development Boosting Economic Growth and Social Unity in Tibet"
The Zegong High-grade Highway is the first high-grade highway opened on the snowy plateau after the successful conclusion of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Its inauguration marked Shannan City as the second prefecture-level city fully integrated into the "3-hour traffic circle centered on Lhasa". It is also the fifth high-grade highway in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bringing the total length of first-class and express highways in the region to 613 kilometers.
The Zegong High-grade Highway is one of the key road construction projects outlined in the Ministry of Transport's "13th Five-Year Development Plan" and the "13th Five-Year Comprehensive Transport Plan" of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It constitutes a crucial part of the national expressway's prospective line 4219, and is a vital section of Tibet's "four vertical, three horizontal, six passages" highway backbone. The highway acts as the principal transportation route connecting the economic belts of central and southern Tibet and plays an essential role as a national defense strategic passage. The project is located along the northern bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, starting at the northern end of Zedang Bridge in Shannan City, passing through Naidong District, Zhanang County, Gongga County, and connecting to the Lhasa-Gongga Airport Expressway at the Longba Interchange. The entire route is 89.87 kilometers long, with a full investment of 4.975 billion Yuan drawn from vehicle purchase tax. Built to first-class highway standards, it's a four-lane bidirectional highway with a design speed of 100 km/hour and a roadbed width of 23 meters.
Under the robust support and careful guidance of the Ministry of Transport and the firm leadership and sound decision-making of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government, the project constructors have inherited, promoted, and innovatively developed the "Two Roads Spirit", showing no fear of difficulties, working tirelessly day and night, and putting forth their full efforts to complete the project ahead of schedule. Following the opening of the Zegong High-grade Highway, the structure of our mainline road network has further improved, which will play a significant role in consolidating national defense, maintaining social stability, strengthening national unity, economic and social development, improving the investment environment, promoting regional exchanges, upgrading infrastructure, transforming transportation services, and deepening the exploitation of tourism resources. The project has also significantly contributed to poverty alleviation. According to incomplete statistics, the construction of the project has provided 7244 jobs for the impoverished population along the route, resulting in an increase in income of approximately 775 million Yuan for the local farmers and herders.