At 8 a.m. on September 21, at the Majiakan Bridge of the Hefeng East No.1 Bid Section of the Yichang-Lifeng Expressway, a tractor slowly transported a T-beam to the bridgehead. After half an hour of lifting, shifting, and lowering, the T-beam was steadily placed on the piers between Abutment No. 0 and Pier No. 1 on the right carriageway, officially kicking off the T-beam erection of the Majiakan Bridge.

The Majiakan Bridge is located at the exit of the Shanshuping Tunnel. Its superstructure at ZK31+146 consists of five continuous units of prestressed concrete T-beams (6*30+5*30+5*30+5*30+5*30), totaling 26 spans; the superstructure at YK31+116 consists of five continuous units of prestressed concrete T-beams (4*30+5*30+5*30+5*30+5*30), totaling 24 spans. There are 250 T-beams in total. This is the third major bridge to have beams erected, following the Yanzihudong mainline bridge and ramp bridge.

The Hefeng East No.1 Bid Section is located in complex terrain. Since the first half of this year, heavy rainfall has brought huge challenges to T-beam transportation and erection. The project department has adhered to the goals of a safe, century-quality project and a safe construction site, reasonably arranged the construction sequence, and steadily and orderly advanced the construction progress.

Following the successful erection of the first T-beam on the Yanzihudong mainline bridge on April 18, the smooth erection of T-beams on the Majiakan Bridge this time has achieved the project's milestone target. The double-line breakthrough of the Shanshuping Tunnel has also smoothly opened the beam erection channel for the Majiakan Bridge. All participants in the Hefeng East No.1 Bid Section are greatly encouraged and will continue to overcome difficulties, speed up progress, and truly accomplish the project milestone targets.

It is understood that the Hefeng East Section of the Yilai Expressway is an important part of the "13th Five-Year Plan" development outline for highways and waterway transport in Hubei Province. It is also the "Horizontal Line 5" in the Hubei Provincial Road Network Planning Outline and an important transportation project for the Western Hubei Ecological and Cultural Tourism Circle and the Hubei Wuling Mountain Ethnic Minority Economic and Social Development Pilot Zone. After the project is completed, it will connect westward via the Enlai Expressway to the Shanghai-Chongqing and Shanghai-Chengdu expressways, and further provide rapid access to Chongqing, Sichuan, and other places; eastward, via the Shishou-Songzi Expressway, it will connect to the Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway in the national highway network, and further provide rapid access to Wuhan and the Yangtze River Delta. It will achieve the connection between the county and the prefectural capital, and then with the expressway trunk network, thoroughly improving the transportation environment in southwestern Hubei and surrounding areas.