China Freeways: Continuing Expansion

Beijing’s xinhuanet.com reported on December 30 that 11,000 kilometers (7,000 miles) of new freeways (motorways) were built in 2012. This is equivalent to more than 150 percent of the freeway mileage in California.

Based on figures reported at the end of 2011, the additional 11,000 kilometers would increase China’s national freeway system (the National Trunk Highway System) to approximately 96,000 kilometers (60,000 miles). This is approximately 20,000 kilometers (12,000 miles) longer than the US interstate highway system, as reported in 2010. As a result, China’s national freeway system is the longest in the world.

Both China and the United States have additional freeway segments that are not a part of the national systems. In 2010, the United States had approximately 99,000 kilometers (62,000 miles) of freeways, including the interstate system. Data is not readily available for a number of urban and provincial level freeways in China that are not a part of the National Trunk Highway System.

It seems likely that the US continues to lead, though by only a small margin, in total freeway mileage. However, China is continuing to expand its system at a rapid rate. This is evident in the map below, which uses purple and green to indicate uncompleted freeways, while blue and red indicate open segments. Long stretches remain to be completed to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, and beyond to the border of Kazakhstan in the Pamir Mountains, as well as two long routes to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. A number of additional routes are also planned in the densely populated eastern third of the nation.


Map by WikiCommons user Pafun

Also see:
China’s Expanding Roadways (February 2012)
China Expressway System to Exceed US Interstates (January 2011)

Comments

33 responses to “China Freeways: Continuing Expansion”

  1. lukelea Avatar
    lukelea

    I read that China’s freeways are virtually devoid of traffic (see Peter Hetzler’s Country Driving) and that they are mostly toll roads, which means they have little chance of paying back the construction loans (from state owned banks) that financed them. China is known — see The Ugly Chinaman, an (in)famous talk in China delivered by a Chinese man over 20 years ago — for doing immense things in a hurry but with little follow up. So the question is, will (can) China maintain this immense road system with little traffic? Or is it one big boondoggle? I guess we’ll see.

    P.S. You can find that Ugly Chinaman piece on a Harvard website if you look for it. It is an amazing document.

    Luke Lea

  2. Lee Avatar
    Lee

    I guess China’s environmental social engineering progressive groups aren’t trying to rewild their countryside if they’re putting in highways, even if they aren’t used – yet. They must be looking ahead, GM has huge plans for building their cars there. GM said China is their future.

    There are NGO’s in PA working to rid the rural areas of roads, even groups that used to be all about roads and bridges like the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. You would be hard pressed to find the word car or truck on their website now. They’re all about high speed rail, the environment (hah!) and bikes and being on foot and surprise surprise – workforce housing. They literally are partnered somehow with HUD. I think they’re believers in the megaregion concepts you find on America 2050.org. Cohercing suburban townships/counties suburban areas into denser and denser housing. Justification is fair housing, but it really sounds developer insider friendly vs. low income people friendly. For example bucolic wealthy Upper Makefield Twp is considered a “high opportunity” area for getting “very low income” people into that area as part of the fair housing act according to Build One PA an arm of Build One America from Chicago of all places :). Yes the school dist is good, but there is no public transportation in Upper Makefield Twp. It certainly has roads, but its hilly not bike friendly and no trains – yet?

    Hummm….they must be “planning” ahead with our tax dollars again without our knowledge again!

  3. Exile Avatar
    Exile

    Soon China too can experience massive infrastructure deficits. This is especially the case, should this freeway expansion be constructed like their high-speed rail network. It’s tough to maintain “winks and nods” infrastructure. Our own freeway network is rapidly becoming the noose that will hang us in short order.

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