On March 13, 2026, Sichuan Province's transportation construction received good news: the Nanjiang to Santai (Zhongjiang) Expressway project officially obtained approval. As the transportation key project with the longest planned construction mileage and largest investment scale in Sichuan Province in 2026, the approval of this economic artery marks a decisive progress in the preliminary work of the project, laying a solid foundation for early construction.

Strategic thoroughfare connecting the five districts for mutual prosperity

The Nansan Expressway is not only a transportation line, but also a key horizontal line for the coordinated development of the Sichuan region. The project starts from the Nanjiang Interchange of G85 Yinkun Expressway and ends at the Zhongjiang Interchange of G8516 Bacheng Expressway, passing through 5 cities and 8 counties (cities) of Bazhong, Guangyuan, Nanchong, Mianyang, and Deyang, with a total length of about 271 kilometers. It is an inter provincial fast track connecting the Chengdu Plain Economic Zone directly to the Northeast Sichuan Economic Zone and to Shaanxi, playing an irreplaceable role in supporting the strategy of promoting the common development of the five districts in Sichuan, driving high-quality development in revolutionary old areas and underdeveloped counties.

Clear construction standards

According to the data, the total investment of the project is about 48.7 billion yuan, constructed using BOT mode, and invested by a consortium of 7 units including Sichuan Shudao Expressway Group. The project owner is Sichuan Nansan Expressway Co., Ltd., and the construction period is 3 years. The entire line adopts the standard of a two-way four lane expressway, with a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour (80 kilometers per hour for some difficult sections). According to industry data, the bridge tunnel ratio of this project is expected to reach over 32%, and the construction will greatly increase the road network density in northern Sichuan. Keywords: infrastructure, highway transportation

Assist in the revitalization of old areas

At present, the preliminary survey and design of the project have been completed, and the pre construction requirements such as environmental impact assessment and land use pre-approval have been basically approved. After completion, the travel time from Nanjiang to Chengdu will be shortened to about 3 hours, providing strong support for the export of agricultural products from Northeast Sichuan and the development of red tourism resources, becoming another golden channel for the northward export of Sichuan.Editor/Cheng Liting