Jiangsu to build three-dimensional transport corridor along Yangtze River

A design plan for constructing a comprehensive three-dimensional transport corridor in Jiangsu for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt was released by Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government in September 2018.

According to the plan, by 2035 Jiangsu’s comprehensive transport system will take the lead in realizing modernization countrywide and enter the world’s advanced ranks in terms of its developmental level.

Seventy percent of county-level cities in the province will be included in the high-speed train map within two years. The length of the high-speed rail network will reach 4,800 kilometers by 2025 and that number will reach 5,200 km by 2035 with total railway length eventually rising to 8,000 km.

The intercity rail network among urban clusters along the river will reach 500 km by 2025. Commuting circles of 30 minutes to one hour will take shape in the Nanjing-Zhenjiang-Yangzhou area and the Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou area by 2035. By that point, the intercity railways will be like shuttle buses with more train trips and shorter intervals between departures.

The plan also paid great attention to the improvement of aviation services. The layout and orientation of Jiangsu’s airports will see systematic management. By 2020, every corner of Jiangsu will be reached by a flight of no more than 30 minutes, and that time will be reduced to 15 minutes according to the 2035 target.

By 2035, Nanjing Lukou International Airport is expected to be listed among the world’s top 50 in terms of passenger throughput. Airports in Jiangsu will by then be able to handle 130 million person-times of passengers and 2.2 million tons of cargo annually.

Thirteen navigation channels connecting to the Yangtze River will be launched by 2035 to make full use of the geographic advantages of rich waterway resources and upgrade ports’ service capabilities.

To further relieve traffic congestion between the northern and southern part of Jiangsu caused by the Yangtze River, the number of bridges and tunnels that cross the river will increase from 2020’s 17 to 2035’s 36, including several railway-and-road bridges.

More than 30 comprehensive passenger transport hubs will be constructed in the province by 2020. More are on schedule to cover all county-level cities by 2035. Transport hubs such as ports, airports and high-speed train stations will help lure resources such as talents, funds and information to give rise to new industries and service functions.