Against the backdrop of accelerated integration of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and continuous improvement of the five central levels in Shanghai, the modern comprehensive transportation system is becoming a pioneer in driving high-quality development. After making breakthroughs in multiple major transportation projects in the first year of the 15th Five Year Plan, Shanghai's construction of a strong transportation city has once again dropped a key chess piece in the southwest direction.

On December 18, 2025, the construction of the Shanghai Songjiang Expressway Expressway Expressway from Jiamin Elevated Road to the northern section of Highway S32, Jiamin Interchange to Jiuyi Road, officially began. This marks the official start of the construction phase for a major livelihood and development project with a total length of approximately 22 kilometers and a total investment of nearly 13.5 billion yuan. Its launch is not only a response to the urgent expectations of millions of citizens, but also a crucial step in the transformation of Songjiang District, the southwest gateway of Shanghai, from a suburban new city to a comprehensive node city. It aims to stitch together its spatial and temporal distance from the main urban area and reshape the regional development map.

2.6-kilometer flagship project

The northern section project, which started construction first this time, although only about 2.6 kilometers long, can be regarded as the leader and core of the entire line construction. This section of road located between Jiuting Town and Jiuliting Street was destined to be extraordinary from the beginning. From a planning perspective, its design plan was already announced to the public as early as June 2025, clarifying that both the main elevated road and the ground road are a two-way six lane elevated+ground composite system, with the widest red line width reaching 72.5 meters, reflecting advanced planning for future traffic carrying capacity. However, in order to turn the blueprint into reality, the builders are facing the typical complex challenges around the central Shanghai center urban area: the residential areas along the line are highly concentrated, and various important underground pipelines crisscross. The original Shanghai Songshan Highway has huge ground traffic flow and needs to guarantee the passage to the maximum extent during the construction period. At the same time, the project is close to the rail transit line 9, so the requirements for construction settlement control are almost harsh.

The smooth progress was achieved through coordination among multiple departments in the early stage, "said the person in charge of one of the project contractors, highlighting the uniqueness of this project. In fact, the complexity of this section has attracted much attention to its specific construction plan, and the Jiamin Elevated Road Jiuyi section to which it belongs was clearly listed as a key section that needs to be prioritized for launch in early 2025. Therefore, the significance of this 2.6-kilometer advancement far exceeds its physical length, and it is a comprehensive test of the city's fine construction and management capabilities. The project is jointly constructed by three strong enterprises, China Railway 24th Bureau, Shanghai Highway and Bridge Group, and Shanghai Construction Engineering Group. Their collaborative efforts will pave a feasible path for the rapid transformation of the entire line, which will extend about 20 kilometers southward, in highly developed areas.

Leading the future of a comprehensive node city

The strategic value of the Shanghai Songjiang Expressway Rapid Development Project goes far beyond alleviating traffic congestion itself. Its essence is the core infrastructure of Songjiang New City to enhance urban functions and integrate into the new development pattern. For a long time, although Songjiang has the important hub of Shanghai Songjiang Station, which connects the Shanghai Kunming and Shanghai Suzhou Hunan high-speed railways, the lack of direct connection with the central core area of the city has become a clear weakness that restricts its development. It is expected that after the completion of the entire line in June 2029, the commuting time from Songjiang to the main urban area of Shanghai will be significantly reduced by more than 30 minutes, which will directly change the regional commuting map and living pattern.

The more profound impact lies in the reshaping of the regional economic texture. This expressway will connect key industries and urban clusters such as Jiuting, Sijing, Dongjing, Economic Development Zone, and Chedun from north to south, becoming an integrated development axis that runs through Songjiang. As envisioned by the head of the transportation department in Songjiang District, it will "further optimize the regional industrial layout, promote the efficient flow of talent, capital, technology and other factors, and create favorable conditions for introducing high-end industrial projects and promoting industrial transformation and upgrading in Songjiang." This means that the expressway is not only a transportation channel, but also a transmission channel for resource factors and an empowerment channel for innovative economy. It will truly transform Songjiang's location advantage into a development advantage, supporting its construction as an independent comprehensive node city in the Yangtze River Delta. Keywords: traffic news, construction news

The construction of the northern section of the Shanghai Songjiang Expressway Rapid Development Project is a vivid example of Shanghai optimizing its urban spatial structure and promoting integrated urban-rural development. It not only responds to the long-standing aspirations of the people of Songjiang, but also plans a more closely connected and vibrant future for the southwest region of Shanghai through the pioneering construction of infrastructure. With the advancement of the project, a fast lane supporting high-quality development and leading to a better life for the people is accelerating from the blueprint into reality.Editor/Cheng Liting