In November 2025, a key progress in the construction of transportation infrastructure in Shandong Province was announced - the preliminary work bidding for the Jinan Liaocheng Expressway Reconstruction and Expansion Project (referred to as the "Jinan Liaocheng Expressway Reconstruction and Expansion Project") was successfully concluded. The core sections of the project, including survey and design, supervision and consulting, have all been selected as the winning units, marking the official start of preparation for the 13.28 billion yuan transportation artery upgrade project. The project is scheduled to start construction by the end of December 2025, with a construction period of 3 years. It is expected to be completed and opened to traffic by the end of 2028. At that time, it will completely solve the 30-year congestion problem of the Ji Liao Corridor and inject strong transportation momentum into the westward radiation of the Jinan metropolitan area, ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin, and high-quality development.

As the core channel connecting Jinan and Liaocheng, the Jinan Liaocheng Expressway is also an important component of Shandong Province's "nine vertical, five horizontal, one ring, seven radiating and multiple connecting" expressway network. Since its completion and opening in 2002, it has undertaken the core function of passenger and freight transportation between the western Shandong region and the provincial capital economic circle. With the acceleration of urbanization in Jiliao, the rise of industrial clusters along the route, and the surge in demand for holiday travel, the original two-way four lane road is no longer able to meet the increase in traffic flow. During peak hours, congestion lasts for more than 4 hours, becoming a "traffic bottleneck" that restricts regional coordinated development. The total length of this renovation and expansion project is 92.7 kilometers. The route starts from the intersection of Jiguang Expressway in Huaiyin District, Jinan, passes through Changqing District, Qihe County in Dezhou, Chiping District in Liaocheng, Dongchangfu District, and ends at the Qinglan Expressway connection point in Dong'a County, Liaocheng. The entire line adopts the standard of a two-way eight lane expressway for renovation and expansion, with a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour and a roadbed width of 42 meters. The traffic capacity will be increased by more than four times compared to the current situation.

The project construction will focus on the dual goals of "expansion and upgrading+quality improvement", creating a modern transportation corridor that combines efficiency and safety. The core highlights of the project include the 4.8-kilometer Jinan West Ring Expressway section, which will adopt a "mainline elevated+ground auxiliary road" mode to achieve seamless connection with Jinan Ring Expressway and Jiguang Expressway, and alleviate congestion at urban entrances and exits; Along the route, 6 new interchanges will be built and 8 interchanges will be renovated and expanded, while supporting facilities such as service areas and toll stations will be improved. Among them, the Liaocheng East Service Area will be upgraded to a smart comprehensive service hub integrating charging, shopping, catering, and logistics transfer. In response to the ecological protection requirements of the Yellow River Basin, the project will adopt low disturbance construction technology to implement ecological protection for wetlands and forests along the route, and simultaneously construct rainwater collection systems and green isolation belts to achieve "road landscape integration and ecological harmony".

As a "transportation engine" that empowers regional development, the project will generate significant economic and social benefits after completion. In terms of time and space distance, the driving travel time from Jinan to Liaocheng will be reduced from the current 1.5-2 hours to within 1 hour, and counties and districts along the line such as Qihe, Chiping, and Dong'a will be fully integrated into the provincial capital's 1-hour commuting circle; In terms of transportation efficiency, it will significantly improve the transportation efficiency of bulk commodities such as coal, chemicals, and agricultural products, reduce logistics costs for enterprises, and is expected to bring direct economic benefits of over 2 billion yuan to industries along the route every year; In terms of regional collaboration, we will strengthen Jinan's radiating and driving role in the western Shandong region, promote industrial transfer, talent exchange, and resource complementarity between Jinan and Liaodong, and at the same time open up a westward channel connecting the Jinan metropolitan area to the southern Hebei and northern Henan regions, building an efficient transportation bridge for cross regional cooperation in the Yellow River Basin.

In terms of livelihood security, it is expected to create over 8000 job opportunities during the construction period, driving the development of upstream and downstream industries such as construction machinery and building materials manufacturing; After its opening, the rural road network along the route will be optimized to facilitate people's travel for medical treatment and children's education. At the same time, ETC dedicated channels and intelligent transportation monitoring systems will be set up to enhance travel convenience and safety. At present, the project has completed the preliminary work such as route scheme optimization, land pre-approval, and environmental impact assessment approval. The construction unit is stepping up the preparation for the start of construction, including on-site survey and construction organization design. The Shandong Provincial Department of Transport will work together with the two cities of Jiliao to establish a collaborative promotion mechanism to ensure that the project starts on schedule and progresses smoothly.

This "golden channel" with a total investment of 13.28 billion yuan is not only a livelihood project to solve traffic congestion, but also a strategic project to promote the urbanization of economy and commerce and empower the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. With the start of the countdown to construction by the end of 2025, a traffic picture of "eight lanes connecting Qilu and Shandong, one hour linkage for economic communication" is about to unfold, writing a vivid chapter for the coordinated development of Shandong Province.Editor/Bian Wenjun