The renovation project modifying Meiguan Expressway into an urban trunk road will be initiated in March, according to a report by the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily on Tuesday, quoting sources familiar with an investment plan of the Shenzhen city government.
The renovation covers a section of 8 kilometers between the former Meilin Tollgate and Qinghu Flyover, the report said. The renovation will last about four years to the end of 2023.
In 2019, the city will invest 600 million yuan (US$88.89 million) into the renovation of interchange flyovers, bridges, tunnels and passages along the Meiguan Expressway. Some land parcels along the expressway will be revitalized, and short-trip bus routes segmented by the expressway will be connected to provide convenience for neighborhoods, according to the plan.
After renovation, Meiguan Expressway will become another road like Shennan Boulevard on the central axis of the city. Under the project, eight interchange flyovers and 25 tunnels, footbridges and passages will be built to connect the expressway with other roads in Longhua Subdistrict, Longhua District, and Bantian Subdistrict, Longgang District.
Meiguan Expressway was put into use in 1995. It is part of the national G95 expressway network and serves as an important link between Futian CBD, Longgang and Bao’an districts.
The city government canceled toll fees on the section of Meiguan Expressway between Meilin and Guanlan in 2014 to promote economic development and decided to renovate the expressway into a trunk road with more connections to other urban roads to improve the commute for local residents and the logistics companies using the expressway.
However, congestion on the expressway has become more serious with the expansion and integration of the former special economic zone.
The rapid development of Longhua District has caused the expressway that runs through it to no longer be suitable for urban development, and it has blocked the growth of Longhua District and Bantian Subdistrict, the report said.
The 7.7-billion-yuan project will adopt a collaborative BIM (Building Information Model) approach to implement a 3-D collaborative design workflow to reduce rework, and optimize information sharing and save on design time.