The Baluntai-Korla section of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, invested and constructed by CCCC, has been officially opened to traffic.

The expressway, stretching 319.7 kilometers, links Urumqi and Yuli County, and is the first major expressway connecting the north and south of Xinjiang. The Baluntai-Korla section, located at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, connects Korla City, Yuli County, Yanqi County and Hejing County, with a total length of 143 kilometers and four lanes. This transportation artery running through the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains will effectively activate the economic development potential of the towns along the line.

The project features a high density of bridges, including 10 extra-large bridges, 42 large bridges, and 51 medium and small bridges. Among them, the extra-large bridge over the Kaidu River is the longest river-crossing bridge in the Baluntai-Korla section, with a total length of 1,328 meters. The bridge that crosses over the South Xinjiang Railway is the only rotating bridge on the entire line.

Extra-large bridge over the Kaidu River

The bridge that crosses over the South Xinjiang Railway

This section features three tunnels over one kilometer in length. Among them, the Tiemenguan Tunnel, with a total length of 2,900 meters, is the second longest tunnel on the expressway after the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel. Moreover, it serves as a "scenic corridor" with light bands painted on the ceiling, representing the blue of the Tianshan glaciers and the gold of the desert poplars. The Tianqiao Tunnel is an innovative masterpiece in a high-altitude area, with a maximum burial depth of 473 meters. The Shihuiyao Tunnel, which is 2,068 meters long, has 96.4% of its rock strata classified as extremely unstable IV and V grade surrounding rock.

Tiemenguan Tunnel

Tianqiao Tunnel

Shihuiyao Tunnel

There are 7 interchanges and 23 separate overpasses in this section. Among them, the Xiangsi Lake Interchange and the Baluntai Interchange are key nodes in the transportation network. The project utilizes multiple service areas to form a three-dimensional road network, establishing a logistics channel and tourism corridor in the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, and helping the ancient road that has a history of a thousand years to regain its vitality.

Xiangsi Lake Interchange

Baluntai Interchange