Recently, the Weisu high-speed railway project with a total investment of 85.2 billion yuan has once again launched the bidding process, marking the official entry of this transportation artery spanning Shandong and Jiangsu provinces into a new construction stage. As a key high-speed railway line connecting the southeastern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, the Weishu high-speed railway not only carries the important mission of regional transportation interconnection, but also demonstrates the new characteristics and trends of high-quality development of China's infrastructure construction in the new era, becoming an important carrier for promoting deep integration of regional economy.

High Bridge and Long Tunnel Build Modern Transportation Corridor

The Weisu high-speed railway project has a total length of 398.49 kilometers, a total investment scale of 85.2 billion yuan, and a planned construction period of 4.5 years. It is worth noting that the bridge ratio of this project is as high as 85%, which means that most of the lines will be constructed in elevated form. This design not only reflects the improvement of engineering technology level, but also demonstrates the importance of intensive land use and ecological environment protection.

In the eastern region where land resources are scarce, adopting the high bridge scheme can not only reduce the division of ground space, but also ensure the straightness of the line and meet the technical requirements for high-speed train operation. The station building project, as an important component of the project, is planned to commence construction in March 2026. A number of modern stations, including Anqiu Station, Zhucheng West Station, and Wulian North Station, will be built, with each station building covering an area of approximately 10000 square meters. It is expected to be fully completed by June 2028 and will provide convenient and efficient passenger services for residents along the line.

Central local collaboration promotes cross regional cooperation

The funding arrangement of the Weisu high-speed railway reflects an innovative cross regional cooperation mechanism. The project capital accounts for 46.8% of the total investment, jointly contributed by China Railway Group and Shandong and Jiangsu provinces in proportions of 19.3%, 64.2%, and 16.5%. This allocation plan fully considers the actual interests and responsibilities of all parties: Shandong, as the main province through which the line passes, has a length of 324.94 kilometers within its territory, and therefore bears the main responsibility for investment;

Jiangsu, as an important beneficiary, has also made corresponding investments; China Railway Group plays a key role in overall coordination. This model of coordinated promotion between the central and local governments not only fully mobilizes the enthusiasm of local governments, but also ensures the smooth implementation of major projects, providing a valuable cooperation paradigm for cross regional infrastructure construction.

Traffic arteries activate new economic drivers

The construction of the Weishu high-speed railway will profoundly change the regional development pattern. This line will fill the gap in high-speed rail between the southeastern Shandong region and the northern Jiangsu region, effectively connecting important cities such as Weifang, Rizhao, Linyi, and Suqian, significantly shortening the spatial and temporal distance between the Shandong Peninsula and the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. For the areas along the route.

this not only means a fundamental improvement in transportation conditions, but also brings new development opportunities: county-level cities such as Anqiu, Zhucheng, and Wulian will officially enter the era of high-speed rail, Linyi's position as an important logistics hub will be further consolidated, and the channel connecting the northern Jiangsu region to the Shandong Peninsula will be more smooth.

It is worth noting that in the first seven months of 2025, the winning bid amount of projects nationwide in China increased by 31.9% year-on-year, with projects in major economic provinces such as Jiangsu and Shandong being particularly actively promoted, reflecting the transformation of infrastructure construction from simple scale expansion to equal emphasis on quality and efficiency. The Weishu high-speed railway is a vivid reflection of this development trend.

With the deepening of project construction, the Weishu high-speed railway will become an important engine for promoting regional coordinated development, not only bringing direct economic benefits to cities along the line, but also generating significant investment multiplier effects through industrial chain transmission. From the supply of building materials to the manufacturing of electromechanical equipment, from information technology services to labor employment, this high-speed railway will drive the coordinated development of related industries, truly realizing the leap from transportation lines to economic belts, and demonstrating a new pattern and far-reaching impact of China's infrastructure construction. Editor/Yang Beihua