To the east of Lijiaquan Village, Zhulu Town, Junan County, Linyi City, a brand new expressway is about to extend from here. This is the border between Linyi and Rizhao cities, and also the starting point of the Rizhao Linyi Expressway (Linyi section). The 52.5-kilometer-long expressway, which connects the planned and constructed Rizhao section to the east and extends westward to Zhengwang Town in Hedong District, Linyi City, will completely change the way residents in both areas travel.

For Mr. Wang, a truck driver who travels between Rizhao and Linyi all year round, the planning of this highway fills him with anticipation. Now taking the old road, it takes more than two hours to encounter traffic jams. In the future, with the opening of highways, the time can be reduced by half. "Master Wang said that he has to run this line more than ten times a month. After the highway is opened, it not only saves time but also reduces transportation costs.

52.5 kilometers of two-way four lane road

The Rizhao Linyi Expressway (Linyi section) project is tendered by Linyi Transportation Bureau, with a total investment of approximately 6.93 billion yuan. The total length of the project mainline is 52.5 kilometers, constructed according to the standard of a two-way four lane expressway, with a designed speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

The starting point of the project is located at the junction of Linyi and Rizhao cities, east of Lijiaquan Village, Zhulu Town, Junan County, Linyi City, and connects to the planned Rizhao to Linyi Expressway Rizhao section to the east. At present, the Rizhao section has entered the stage of route planning public announcement in January 2026, with a total length of 25.8 kilometers. It is also constructed according to the standard of a two-way four lane expressway, with a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour and an estimated investment of about 3.363 billion yuan.

The project endpoint is located in the northeast direction of Zhengwang Town, Hedong District, Linyi City, connecting with the Zhengwang Hub where the Changshen Expressway and the under construction Linteng Expressway intersect. The Linteng Expressway has been fully connected by December 2025, and both this section and the connected Changshen Expressway adopt a two-way six lane standard, with a designed speed of 120 kilometers per hour and a roadbed width of 34.5 meters.

Multiple interchanges enhance traffic efficiency

The project plans to set up multiple interchanges and toll stations, including Lingquan Interchange, Junnan South Interchange Toll Station, Laopo Interchange Toll Station, Zhulu Interchange, etc., which can achieve seamless interconnection with local roads such as Wensi Road and Lushan Road, significantly improving the external traffic efficiency and convenience of Junan County and the surrounding areas.

After the completion and opening of both sections of the highway, direct high-speed access between Rizhao and Linyi will be achieved, significantly reducing travel time. At the same time, by efficiently connecting with regional highway networks such as Changshen Expressway and Linteng Expressway, the overall traffic efficiency of the road network will be fully released.

Investor bidding activates social capital

This project adopts the investor bidding mode. According to the "Regulations on the Management of Investor Bidding and Tendering for Commercial Highway Construction Projects", the winning bidder will fully undertake the entire process of project investment, financing, construction, operation, and handover, and ensure the efficient promotion of the project through market-oriented operation mode.

This model not only meets the relevant policy requirements for toll road construction, but also fully activates the vitality of social capital, providing strong support for accelerating the implementation of projects. The bidding announcement is expected to be released in February 2026, and after the bidding work is successfully completed, the subsequent construction phase will be quickly initiated.

The construction of the Rizhao Linyi Expressway is of great practical significance in promoting the deep linkage between the Jiaodong Economic Circle and the Lunan Economic Circle, optimizing the regional transportation pattern, activating tourism resources along the route, and promoting the coordinated development of industries. Especially for the revolutionary old areas of Yimeng, this project will further fill the gaps in transportation infrastructure and inject strong momentum into the high-quality development of regional economy and society.Editor/Yang Meiling