At about 11 p.m. on January 15, the left tube of the 4,275-meter Baitao Tunnel on the Chongqing Yanjiang Expressway branch line was successfully holed through, marking the elimination of all controlling difficulties on the project. The entire line is expected to be completed and opened to traffic in October this year.
At about 11 p.m. that night, with a blast, the left tube of Baitao Tunnel achieved a safe breakthrough. The left tube of Baitao Tunnel is an extra-long tunnel. Two-way excavation began in May 2015. All participating parties organized the work scientifically and carried out construction meticulously, overcoming multiple difficulties, including more than 76% of the geology being Class V dangerous rock and the tunnel portals being located in landslide-prone sections. After 32 months, the breakthrough task was completed four months ahead of schedule.
The Chongqing Yanjiang Expressway branch line starts at Zili Chang, Fuling, on the Nanfu Expressway and ends at the starting point of the planned Second Wujiang Bridge in Baitao, Fuling. It is 12.49 kilometers long, with a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour. It mainly consists of tunnel groups such as Hexiang, Huilongwan and Baitao, and the total investment in civil works is about 1.008 billion yuan.
According to reports, the left tube of Baitao Tunnel is the last tunnel in the construction of the Chongqing Yanjiang Expressway branch line. Its breakthrough marks the completion of excavation for all controlling works along the entire line. Next, the contractor will move quickly to carry out pavement, landscaping, safety protection, strong and weak current, communications and other construction, and strive to meet traffic-opening conditions in October this year.