On July 27, a key milestone was achieved in the construction of the West Ring Expressway of the Changchun Metropolitan Area: the 72.43-kilometer pavement section from Gongzhuling to Nong'an was fully completed. The West Ring Expressway is set to open to traffic on the morning of July 30, marking the full opening of the entire Changchun Metropolitan Area Expressway Ring Line.

The West Ring Expressway project stretches from Yitong Town in Yitong County in the south to Huajia Town in Nong'an County in the north, with a total length of 143.3 kilometers. It features 12 interchanges, a design speed of 120 km/h, and a four-lane, two-way configuration.

Along the route, there are seven toll stations: Yitong North, Moriqing, Gongzhuling East, Heilinzi, Huaide West, Sangang, and Bajiju; one monitoring and dispatch sub-center at Yitong North; three maintenance depots at Gongzhuling East, Huaide West, and Sangang; and three service areas at Kalun, Huaide North, and Boluohu.

The Changchun Metropolitan Area Ring Line is a vital part of the national expressway network and a key project under the National Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Transportation Network Planning Outline. With a total length of 347 kilometers, it serves as a major transportation artery connecting key nodes within the metropolitan area and promoting coordinated regional development. The project consists of eastern and western half-rings. The eastern half-ring, developed in two phases, was opened to traffic in January 2023 and November 2024, respectively.

The West Ring Expressway boasts two longest bridges in the entire metropolitan expressway system: the Changxi Railway Grand Bridge and the Changtai Expressway Grand Bridge. Built to the same four-lane, two-way standard with a design speed of 120 km/h, it passes through four towns and one township, and connects with the Changchun–Changbai and Hunchun–Ulanhot Expressways for seamless traffic interchange.

Once the West Ring Expressway is linked with the East Ring Expressway, the full ring line of the Changchun Metropolitan Area Expressway system will be completed—a landmark achievement that will significantly boost the integrated development of the Changchun Modern Metropolitan Area and contribute to the revitalization of Jilin Province.

Sources: Department of Transportation of Jilin Province,  CCTV News  Editor: Liu Jiadi