The conecting bridge at Wolong Valley, starting point of Daxun expressway. (Photo: VCG)

A new expressway from Dalijia Mountain to Xunhua County connecting Gansu Province and Qinghai Province in Northwest China opened on Friday, reducing travel time from three hours to one hour.

The 57.28-kilometer highway runs from Wolong Valley, the border of Gansu and Qinghai Procvince, to Xunhua County in Qinghai Province, allowing a direct connection to G310 under China’s expressway network.

Winter scenery of Dalijia Mountain. (File photo)

The construction of Daxun expressway has gone through many difficulties. It passes through Taizi Mountain national natural reserve area, which requires that the builders take advantage of bridges and tunnels to avoid breaking the ecosystem including vegetation and flora. Da Xun Highway also passes through Dalijia Mountain that has rough terrain and extremely cold climate, with an average altitude of more than three thousand meters. New technical methods and materials are necessary to guarantee the safety and service life of the expressway.

In the past, a drive from Xunhua County in Qinghai Province to Linxia in Gansu Province was hazardous due to the zigzag roads on Dalijia Mountain, with rocks falling from the top. In the winter, snow made traveling extremely dangerous.

The construction of the highway will help exploit travel resources along the way and promote communication between Qinghai and Gansu Province.