Two Tunnels Break Through on Kangding–Xinduqiao Expressway, Cutting Chengdu Journey to Four Hours by 2028

# Pasang Lhamu

Two key tunnels on the expressway under construction between Kangding and Xinduqiao in China’s Sichuan Province have been successfully broken through. Once the project opens to traffic in 2028, the journey from Chengdu to Xinduqiao is expected to take about four hours under normal conditions.

The right-hand sections of the Xinduqiao Tunnel and the Waze Tunnel were both completed on July 25. They are among the first tunnels on the expressway project to reach this stage. Their completion is expected to accelerate road-surface construction, the installation of electrical and mechanical systems, and progress across the entire project.

Being built at an average elevation of more than 3,000 metres, the Kangding–Xinduqiao Expressway runs broadly parallel to National Highway 318. Crossing difficult mountainous terrain, the route is being described as a new “sky road” linking western Sichuan’s high-altitude regions.

The approximately 78.5-kilometre project includes eight tunnels and 22 bridges. When both carriageways are counted, the total length of tunnel excavation exceeds 90 kilometres. Around 95 percent of the route lies more than 3,000 metres above sea level.

The most challenging structure is the Zheduoshan Tunnel, which is approximately 8.4 kilometres long. Although construction began eight years ago, the tunnel has not yet been fully completed. Weak rock formations, underground water, extreme cold, low oxygen levels and a limited annual construction season have made the work technically demanding.

The newly completed Waze and Xinduqiao tunnels were also built through complex geological conditions. The right-hand section of the Waze Tunnel is approximately 3,004 metres long, while the corresponding section of the Xinduqiao Tunnel extends for about 1,648 metres.

Seven decades ago, builders of the Sichuan–Xizang Highway relied on iron hammers, chisels and basic tools to construct National Highway 318 through the same difficult terrain. Today, engineers and workers are using intelligent construction machinery, modern tunnelling technology and automated concrete systems to build a new expressway across the region.

Although the equipment and technology have changed, the determination of those confronting the harsh landscape remains unchanged, according to project accounts.

Once the expressway becomes operational, travel time between Kangding and Xinduqiao is expected to fall from about two hours to approximately one hour. It will also create a continuous high-speed road connection from Chengdu through Kangding to Xinduqiao.

The new route is expected to reduce disruptions caused by snow and ice in the Zheduoshan area and ease recurring traffic congestion on National Highway 318. It is also expected to improve the safety and reliability of freight transport while supporting tourism, the local economy and rural revitalisation in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

From 2028, travellers are expected to be able to reach Xinduqiao directly from Chengdu by expressway. The high-altitude “sky road” will no longer represent difficult terrain alone, but also a broad and accessible transport corridor built through the sustained efforts of successive generations.