30 years ago, a 145 kilometer long expressway connected the cities of Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo, becoming the first transportation artery in Zhejiang Province to connect the Greater Bay Area; Today, 30 years later, the G92 Hangzhou Ningbo Expressway, which carries the memory of regional development, is about to undergo a "super upgrade" with a total investment of about 49 billion yuan. From a two-way four lane road to a planned expansion to ten to fourteen lanes, this bold renovation and expansion project not only aims to solve the traffic congestion problem of 130000-170000 pcu per day, but also lays a new golden track for the coordinated development of the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration.

The preliminary work of the billion dollar bidding has entered the fast lane

Recently, the feasibility study, consultation, and evaluation of the G92 Hangzhou Bay Ring Expressway Hangzhou Hongken to Ningbo Gaoqiao section renovation and expansion project have officially started the public bidding process, marking a key stage in the preliminary work of the project. This bidding is led by the Zhejiang Provincial Highway and Transportation Management Center, with only one section, HYZX01. The core work revolves around the review and evaluation of the project proposal and feasibility study report, correcting deviations in the plan, proposing optimization suggestions, accurately calculating the total investment estimate of 49 billion yuan, and finally issuing a professional consulting and evaluation report.

The bidding documents specify strict time requirements: the evaluation report shall be submitted within 14 days after the completion of the feasibility study report (review draft), and the corresponding report shall be submitted within 7 days after the completion of the project proposal (approval draft). The overall service period shall extend from the signing of the contract to the landing of the preliminary design approval. It is worth mentioning that the project feasibility study was jointly undertaken by Zhejiang Shuzhi Transportation Institute Technology Co., Ltd. and Hangzhou Transportation Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd., with the support of these two professional institutions, laying a solid foundation for engineering scientific planning.

New traffic engine added to the Greater Bay Area with 10 to 14 lanes in both directions

As the first expressway in Zhejiang Province, G92 Hangzhou Ningbo Expressway has undergone its first renovation and expansion from 2000 to 2007 since its opening in 1996. It has become an important component of the national highway network's regional ring road and a key link in Zhejiang's "nine vertical, nine horizontal, five ring, five channel multi connection" expressway network. With the integration and acceleration of the Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo metropolitan areas, the traffic volume of most sections of the entire line is saturated, and the service level continues to decline. Expansion and reconstruction are urgently needed.

The total length of this renovation and expansion project is about 113.7 kilometers, starting from Hangzhou Hongken connecting to the Ring Expressway and ending at Ningbo Gaoqiao (which can be extended to Dazhujia), passing through six major areas including Xiaoshan, Keqiao, and Yuecheng, and basically expanding and constructing along the old road. The project plans to adopt the standard of a ten to fourteen lane expressway, with a design speed of 120km/h. Partial sections will be planned with elevated sections, and 6 hub interchanges, 9 general interchanges, and 2 service areas along the route will be comprehensively renovated. After completion, this brand new expressway will significantly improve cross regional traffic efficiency, strengthen the connection between the three major cities, and inject strong transportation momentum into the coordinated development of the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta.Editor/Bian Wenjun