As the year draws to a close, several transportation construction projects in Guangzhou have made new progress.Recentlyit was learned that the Guangzhou Huizhan West Road river-crossing tunnel is stepping up construction and may strive for an earlier opening to traffic; the Ruyifang immersed tube tunnel project has independently developed a new process, effectively shortening the construction duration; and the already-opened Nanda Expressway has also achieved new breakthroughs in traffic flow statistics.

In 2023, the construction of river-crossing tunnels has successively achieved major progress, with good news coming frequently. According to the Guangzhou Central District Traffic Project Management Center, on November 9, the first batch of immersed tube segment E3 of the Huizhan West Road river-crossing tunnel project was successfully floated to the surface of the Pearl River, marking the complete success of the first batch of immersed tube floating transport work for the project. After the project opens, it can strengthen the connection between key areas on both banks of the front channel in the central urban area, effectively relieve the river-crossing traffic pressure on the Guangzhou Bridge, Liede Bridge, Huanan Bridge, and Pazhou Bridge, greatly shorten the travel distance across the river on both banks, substantially improve the traffic efficiency on both the north and south banks of the Pearl River, and enhance citizens' sense of gain and happiness in travel to a greater extent. At present, the prefabrication of the second batch of immersed tube segments is being accelerated, with the goal of completing and opening to traffic in 2026.

It is currently learned that the construction of the Yuzhu Tunnel project is in full swing. The project started construction in September 2021. At present, the cofferdams at the Pazhou end, the Yuzhu end, and the south side of Beidisha Island have been completed, the temporary trestle of Beidisha Island has been completed, and the dry dock construction on Hongshengsha Island has basically been completed, creating conditions for fully launching the main works construction in 2024. After the project is completed, it can realize traffic conversion in the near shore among the Financial City, the Lingang Business District, and Pazhou, promoting the integrated development of both banks of the Pearl River; in the far reach, it can assume the traffic connection function between the Science City and Yuzhu area and the science and technology innovation belt including Haizhu, the University Town, and the Innovation City, which is conducive to strengthening the connection between the eastern and southern parts of the city, relieving the traffic pressure on the river-crossing channels across the Pearl River, and facilitating travel for residents along the route. At the same time, the construction of the Yuzhu Tunnel can also drive the coordinated development of the Pazhou area, the Second Central Business District, the Financial City, and other areas. The project is planned to be completed and opened to traffic in December 2026.

Zhang Mijie, project manager of the Guangzhou Central District Traffic Project Management Center, introduced that on September 9, the 30-kilometer-long Nanda Expressway, as a major artery traversing Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, was successfully opened to traffic along its entire line. Since then, the northern part of Panyu District has gained another east-west through express corridor. This is also the longest and highest-standard urban expressway built in Guangzhou in recent years since the completion of the Guangyuan Expressway. The Nanda Expressway is also an industrial "central axis" of the Greater Bay Area, linking major functional areas such as the Guangzhou South Station area, the Chimelong Wanbo area, the Dashi Advanced Manufacturing and Science and Technology Innovation Park, the Guangzhou International Science and Technology Innovation City, the Guangzhou University Town, the Panyu Automobile City, and the planned Lianhuawan in the east, effectively enhancing the supporting effectiveness of supporting roads in major functional areas, helping to further serve the economic development of Panyu District and strengthen Guangzhou's core engine function in the coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area. According to **traffic flow statistics, the two-way evening peak flow of the Dashi section of the Nanda Expressway has reached 6,275 pcu/h, comparable to the current flow level of Baiyun Avenue; the two-way evening peak flow of the Wanbo section has reached 6,985 pcu/h, comparable to the flow level of Xingang West Road; and the two-way evening peak flow of the Hualong section on the east side has reached 4,159 pcu/h, comparable to the flow level of Jiangnan Avenue, exerting a good traffic effect and significantly improving regional driving convenience and efficiency.

It is reported that the already-opened Section 6.2 of the Nanda Expressway won the 15th Guangdong Provincial Civil Engineering Zhan Tianyou Hometown Cup Award, which is the highest honor award for scientific and technological innovation in civil engineering construction in Guangdong Province. Section 3 of the Nanda Expressway won the 15th Guangdong Steel Structure Gold Award; Section 7.2 of the Nanda Expressway won the first prize of the 2021 National Municipal Engineering Construction Outstanding QC Group Activity Achievements. Next, active efforts will be made to apply for the National Quality Engineering Award.

Zhang Baohu, project manager of the Guangzhou Central District Traffic Project Management Center, introduced that on October 30, the first batch of immersed tube floating transport tasks of the Ruyifang Radial Line System Project was successfully completed. As the first immersed tube tunnel in China that crosses and is closely adjacent to a subway line and integrates station space, it channels traffic from the Inner Ring Road and the central urban area of Guangzhou toward the southwest, which can effectively strengthen the connection between Guangzhou's old urban area and Foshan's urban area and surrounding cities in the west, greatly promote the prosperity and development of industry, agriculture, and commerce in the Fangcun area, and is of great significance to the economic development of areas such as the Bai'etan Economic Circle, Huadiwan, the Flower Production Base, and the Dongsha Economic Development Zone, as well as the prosperity of riverside warehousing. After the project is completed and opened to traffic, the travel distance between the Inner Ring Ruyifang Interchange and Fangcun Avenue will be greatly shortened, and the travel time will be reduced from the original 15-30 minutes to 4 minutes, greatly improving the traffic efficiency on both the north and south banks of the Pearl River.

Also located in Liwan District, the Guangzhou-Foshan Exit Radial Line Phase II (Guangzhou Section) project, one of the seven radial lines of Guangzhou's Inner Ring Road, has also reached a key construction milestone. On November 26, the power tower began tower-raising construction. At present, the 220kV transmission line relocation task and acceptance work for the Liwan section and Nanhai section have been successfully completed, laying a solid foundation for completion and opening to traffic next year. This project is a key project for building the Guangzhou-Foshan conurbation. After completion, it can realize traffic conversion among the Guangzhou-Foshan Exit Radial Line, the Inner Ring Road, Fangcun Avenue, the West Ring Expressway, and the Guangzhou-Foshan New Trunk Line, and the driving time connecting the two places will be shortened from the original 30 minutes to 3 minutes, playing an important role in improving the skeleton road network of the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan circle and promoting economic exchanges between Guangzhou and Foshan. The project is expected to be completed in September 2024.

In order to reduce traffic congestion points and improve traffic efficiency, the project management center has actively advanced the Guangzhou Avenue rapidization system renovation Phase II - pedestrian crossing facilities project. With the smooth opening of the last footbridge, the Hongqi Market Pedestrian Footbridge, on March 10, all 14 footbridges included in the project have been put into use. In addition to the construction of pedestrian footbridges, 22 micro-renovations of intersections have also been completed, barrier-free elevators for 9 pedestrian footbridges have been opened, and 18 pedestrian traffic lights have been removed. **Data monitoring statistics show that the average vehicle speed during peak hours has increased from the original 18 km/h to 28 km/h, effectively solving the problems of "slow crossing" and "difficult driving," fully reflecting the people-oriented original intention of construction.

In the first half of this year, another major transportation artery in northern Guangzhou was successfully opened. On March 25, the entire Yunshan Tunnel and the main line of the Yuncheng East Road Tunnel (including temporary auxiliary roads) were opened to traffic. Since then, the north-south through traffic on Baiyun Avenue and Yuncheng East Road can pass through the opened tunnels, and the traffic pressure in Baiyun New Town has been effectively relieved. The opening of the two tunnels plays an important role in comprehensively improving the surrounding landscape and urban space and further optimizing the road network structure of Baiyun New Town. At the same time, the open space on top of the two tunnels directly connects the Baiyun International Convention Center, adjacent plots, and Baiyun Mountain, meeting the integrated landscape requirements of city and mountain, which is conducive to strengthening the close connection of surrounding plots, promoting the high-quality development of the surrounding regional economy, and realizing the pattern of green mountains entering the city to a greater extent.