The Danjiangkou Reservoir Grand Bridge is a key project, with a total length of 1,076 meters and a main span of 760 meters. Construction of the bridge started in September 2019.

The opening of the expressway in the Hubei section will establish a north-south fast channel between Hubei and Henan provinces, facilitating the rapid development of the ecological and cultural tourism industry along the route.

The Danjiangkou Reservoir, which is crossed by the Shixi Expressway, is a head-water point for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project's central route, a first-class national water source protection zone and an important wetland protection zone. A number of environmental protection initiatives have been taken firmly for the construction of this project. Not a drop of waste water is admitted to the reservoir and no waste is allowed into the water.

The construction team carried out research and technical investigations about the bridge. The steel-concrete combination cofferdam effectively isolated the execution area from the reservoir, saving considerable costs and shortening the construction duration.

Engineers developed a method for the construction of pile foundations with large diameters by using an auger drill in hard rock formations on slopes, overcoming several problems, such as the construction on steep slopes and fragmented rock formations in the reservoir area. For the first time, CFRP pre-stressed rock anchor system was used for light ground anchor abutments, which significantly reduced the size of the abutments and the amount of excavation on the hill. The research and development of a set of crack control construction methods for anchored bar abutments have significantly improved the concrete crack resistance and structural durability of box lattice abutments. We innovatively adopted a new type of steel-UHPC light combination girder in a cable-stayed bridge with a length of more than 700 meters, it solved the problem of fatigue cracking of steel bridge panels and the fragility of decking. A series of scientific and technological achievements, both provide valuable experience for the same bridge research, but also advance the development of the structure system of the cable-stayed bridge.

The Shixi Expressway connects 5 major scenic spots: the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, the Danjiangkou Reservoir Area, the World Natural Heritage Shennongjia, the World Heritage Wudang Mountains and the Laojun Mountain in Luoyang, Henan Province, which can promote the development of local cultural tourism.

The opening of the Shixi Expressway facilitates not only the flow of people and special local products but will also help the development of the automotive industry in Hubei.