A bird's-eye view of the Tianmushan Road Tunnel. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

After more than five years of construction, the Tianmushan Road Tunnel, positioned between Huancheng Road and Tianmushan Road, has opened, signifying the completion of the Qiantang Expressway, the lengthiest east-west urban thoroughfare in Hangzhou.

Embedded within Hangzhou's urban expressway network, the Qiantang Expressway serves as a vital artery running through the heart of the metropolis, and its significance will be even greater during the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games.

Extending 48 kilometers, the expressway stretches from Liuxia in the west to the eastern terminus of Hezhuang Avenue in Qiantang district, traversing districts such as Yuhang, Xihu, Shangcheng, and Qiantang. The entire expressway takes a mere 50 minutes to traverse in one direction.

Increasing convenience for locals, the newly-inaugurated Tianmushan Road Tunnel assumes a central role within the Qiantang Expressway network, spanning approximately 5.69 km. Located near Tianmushan Road, the conduit includes a cluster of residential enclaves and bustling commercial epicenters, catering to a population comprising several hundred thousand residents.

This thoroughfare converges with an array of north-south express routes, including the Zhonghe Viaduct and Qiushi Viaduct. In doing so, it greatly increases transit efficiency, bolstering the city's long-haul rapid transit capabilities.

A bird's-eye view of the Tianmushan Road Tunnel. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]