'Beautiful' expressway to run through Nanyang

A new Henan highway that has been described as "beautiful" is set to be built through Nanyang's Xixia and Xichuan counties, and will open to traffic by 2020, Nanyang Evening News has reported.

The Yao Luan Xi Expressway (abbreviation of Yaoshan, Luanchuan and Xixia counties) currently under construction will run through 47 Henan scenic areas, leading it to be dubbed as "the most beautiful expressway in Henan province" once completed.

It is also known as the most difficult project in Henan's history of expressway construction. With a total mileage of 141 kilometers, the overall investment for the project will exceed 19.38 billion yuan ($3.07 billion), meaning an average cost of 137 million yuan per kilometers.

The expressway will go further south from Xixia to connect with Hubei province, linking Henan with its neighboring provinces and playing a positive role in the development of mineral resources along the route.

The construction of more expressways connected to Nanyang is high on the agenda. For example, the Zhoukou-Nanyang section of the Shangna Expressway will be put into service by the end of 2019, and construction of another three highways will also start this year.