In Xinjiang, expressway pushes ahead

The subgrade of the first expressway crossing the desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was finished on Nov 24 - a major project boosting regional transportation and tourism.

The expressway links Urumqi with Altay in Xinjiang. With a length of about 343 kilometers, it is designed as a route for desert tourism. Construction began in December last year, and is expected to complete in 2021.

To prevent the shifting sands from covering the expressway, bushes and other vegetation have been planted alongside.

Once in service, the expressway will put an end to the need for bypass roads. It will cut the distance between Urumqi and Altay by roughly 258 km. Driving time between the two cities will be reduced by three to four hours.

Zhou Jiaxin contributed to the story.