On December 31, after years of arduous efforts, the section from Caoba in Ya'an to Luding on the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway in Sichuan was integrated into the expressway network for trial operation. Since then, all 21 cities (prefectures) in Sichuan have been connected by expressways, opening a new chapter in the development of western Sichuan.
Natural Moat Becomes Thoroughfare, People Beam with Joy
"Waves beat cold clouds over Gaga Mountain, a nine-stringed zither plays beyond the western pass." The Ya'an-Kangding Expressway extends from the Sichuan Basin to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, passing through areas with towering mountains and crisscrossing ravines. Along the same route, the Ancient Tea Horse Road once wound for thousands of years, and National Highway 318 is also breathtaking. Now, the first modern expressway drills through mountains and crosses rivers, stretching like a white khata dancing among the mountains.
"A good road makes everything good; a bad road is the biggest trouble." Wei Chunyun, a 52-year-old long-distance bus driver, has been driving the route from Luding to Chengdu for 16 years. He has experienced countless road closures due to ice and snow and witnessed too many crashes. His greatest wish every day is for all passengers on board to arrive safely. With the new expressway about to open and bypassing the snow line, he is full of anticipation.
Chuni Township, 17 kilometers from Luding County, is rich in specialty fruits such as peaches and cherries, but due to inconvenient transportation, unsold fruits often occurred. "In July this year, 500,000 jin of peaches almost rotted on the trees," said Gao Jian, secretary of the township party committee. "Once the expressway opens, tourists from outside can come in more easily, and local fruits can go out more easily. People won't have to worry anymore."
To cope with the flow of people, goods, and resources brought by the expressway, Luding has already planned ahead. Next, it will focus on the new "expressway+" economic model, leverage its location advantages, and strive to develop tourism, leisure and health, circular economy, agricultural product processing, and other industries that enrich the people, so that residents can soon embark on the road to moderate prosperity.
"Iron Army" Fears No Danger, "Two Roads" Spirit Continues
The Ya'an-Kangding Expressway traverses the deep valleys and gorges of the Hengduan Mountains, with a bridge-tunnel ratio as high as 82%. "The entire line is almost off the ground, climbing all the way," said Zhou Daoping, deputy director of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Transportation. This is one of the most difficult expressways to construct in the country.
The "ten-thousand-zhang high" Erlang Mountain is the first natural barrier. In the 1950s, PLA soldiers paid with their lives while building the Sichuan-Tibet Highway over Erlang Mountain; in 2001, the Erlang Mountain Tunnel on National Highway 318 was finally completed, shortening the journey by 3 hours; today, the 13.4-kilometer Erlang Mountain Tunnel of the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway opens to traffic, completely bidding farewell to the "gate of hell."
Zheng Jianguo, a 38-year-old tunnel engineer, said that today's Erlang Mountain Tunnel design and construction are supported by stronger science and technology. For example, the reverse construction of the main tunnel through an inclined shaft effectively protected the giant panda habitat nature reserve; the use of seismic enlargement sections reserved space for seismic deformation and reinforcement against earthquake disasters. "The project overcame seven major engineering challenges and reached the pinnacle of tunnel technology."
On July 27 last year, a high-level landslide suddenly occurred on one side of the Darenyan Bridge, instantly destroying eight newly built piers. "Fortunately, there were no casualties!" said Bai Yingli, project manager of the bridge. But no one was deterred. Later, by optimizing the plan and innovating construction methods, not only was the bridge reconstruction completed ahead of schedule, but the 210-meter-high slope disaster was also successfully treated.
Huang Bing, chairman of the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway Company, said that facing extremely complex terrain and geology, extremely harsh climate conditions, and an extremely fragile ecological environment, the new generation of transportation iron army inherited and carried forward the "Two Roads" spirit, pioneered and innovated, overcame difficulties, and strived to build the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway into a high-quality, environmentally friendly, and safe road.
New Road Brings New Hope, Take Root and Move Forward
In recent days, more than 300 newly recruited frontline operating staff for the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway have all been in place. "This is the first expressway to my hometown. I will welcome the trial operation with a professional attitude and full energy," said Zeren Yongzhong, a 23-year-old Tibetan girl from Ganzi, who works as a toll collector at Luding Toll Station, excitedly.
At the Luding Passenger Transport Center, Ni Yueming, safety manager of the Luding Branch of New Sichuan-Tibet Transport Company, is calculating changes in passenger flow after the expressway opens and planning whether to add bus schedules. At the Luding Bridge Memorial Hall, docents are also busy preparing, hoping that after the expressway opens, more tourists from outside will come to learn about the Red Army history and the epic Long March.
Some are eagerly awaiting, while others continue to stand guard. On the last night before the trial opening, the wind along the Ya'an-Kangding line was biting cold, with temperatures dropping below zero, but Lei Kaiyun, director of the Ya'an Office of the Ya'an-Kangding Expressway Company, was still patrolling the road. He repeatedly demanded that workers clean everything thoroughly, especially inside the tunnels, as any leftover would be a hidden danger and no carelessness would be tolerated.
Others are making plans for the next step. "This trial opening is not the end, but just the beginning," said Song Zhirong, project manager of the C2 section of the Erlang Mountain Tunnel. "As this expressway pushes further in, there are tunnels with even harsher natural and geographical conditions, longer lengths, and greater difficulties waiting for us to conquer."
A heavenly road shortens time and space and brings people closer.