The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the central section of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway and the longest highway tunnel in the world, has officially opened in China. It stretches 22 kilometers. Built in five years using innovative engineering solutions, the tunnel passes through the Tianshan Mountains at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters above sea level, in extreme climates where temperatures can drop to -42°C. The tunnel’s opening has reduced travel time between Urumqi and Korla by almost half, to approximately 3.5 hours.
According to Xinjiang Transport Investment and Development, using traditional technologies, construction of such a highway would have taken at least ten years. Therefore, engineers employed a “three tunnels and four shafts” concept: instead of one deep main tunnel, three were built – one main and two parallel ones. Parallel tunnels allowed for advance geological exploration, provided access for equipment and personnel, and could also be used for ventilation and evacuation in emergency situations.
Four additional vertical shafts, up to 700 meters deep, were constructed, connecting the surface with the tunnel and enabling construction work to be carried out simultaneously in several sections. This not only earned the facility the title of the longest road tunnel in the world but also set a world record for the deepest vertical shaft for a road tunnel. The new transport artery is expected to significantly facilitate the transportation of energy resources and industrial goods to the north of the region, and agricultural products to the south, stimulating economic development throughout Xinjiang.