China Unveils the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel Amid Ambitious Infrastructure Advances

The Tianshan Shenli Tunnel, stretching over 22 km (14 miles), has officially opened in northwest China, claiming the title of the longest high-speed highway tunnel globally. According to the authorities, traversing this tunnel reduces travel time through the mountainous area from several hours to just 20 minutes.

This engineering marvel is part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, a critical Xinjiang transportation artery extending over 324 km (201 miles), linking the northern and southern urban areas of the region. The construction took five years and involved an investment of $6.63 billion, previously converted from 46.7 billion yuan.

The maximum depth of the tunnel reaches 1.1 km, and it navigates through 16 fault zones in a seismically active area with extreme climate conditions. Notably, ongoing infrastructure developments in Xinjiang reflect China’s broader ambitions to enhance connectivity and economic integration in this diverse region.