Expressways of China

This article is about the expressways of mainland China. See also: Expressways of Hong Kong, Expressways of Macau and Highway_System_in_Taiwan for expressways in these regions.

Expressways in the People's Republic of China are a recent matter. Until 1993, very few expressways existed. One of the earliest expressways nationwide was the Jingshi Expressway between Beijing and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province. This expressway now forms part of the Jingzhu Expressway, currently the longest expressway nationwide, clocking in at over 2,000 km.

Possibly unsurprising given the nation's sheer size, the PRC's expressway network is now amongst one of the longest in the World. The network is also known as National Trunk Highway System. Only Germany and the United States can claim competition in this matter.

Expressway Nomenclature

Neither officially named "motorway" nor "highway," the PRC used to call these roads "freeways" which is misleading because most of the expressways charge tolls. Sometime in the 1990s, "expressways" became the standardised term.

Note that "highways" refers to China National Highways, which are not expressways at all.

"Express routes" exist too; they are akin to expressways but are mainly inside cities. The "express route" name is a derivation of the Chinese name kuaisu gonglu (compare with expressway, gaosu gonglu). Officially, "expressway" is used for both expressways and express routes, which is also the standard used here.

Expressway Network

Expressways in China mainly radiate from Beijing, but also from area to area. Beijing currently has nine expressways radiating from the city centre (see Expressways of Beijing for more); at least two more are planned.

Expressway Speed Limit

The Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China has raised the speed limit nationwide from 110 km/h to 120 km/h, effective May 1, 2004. It may still take some time for local expressways to raise the speed limit accordingly.

A minimum speed limit is in force: the minimum is 70 km/h. On overtaking lanes, however, this could be as high as 100 km/h to 110 km/h. Penalties for driving both below and in excess of the prescribed speed limits are in force.

Expressway Legislation

Only motor vehicles are allowed to enter expressways. As of May 1, 2004, "new drivers" (i.e., those with a PRC driver's licence for less than a year) are allowed on the expressways, something that was prohibited from the mid-1990s.

Overtaking on the right, speeding, and illegal use of the emergency belt (or hard shoulder) cost violators stiff penalties. Surprisingly, the overtaking on the right regulation is flaunted with alarming frequency!

Expressway Signage

File:PRC Expressway ExitSign New(2).jpg

Chinese expressway exit sign (newer version). Shown here is an exit sign to Jiuyuan Highway in central Tianjin municipality on the Jinji Expressway. (Autumn 2004 image)

Expressways in China are, thankfully, signposted in both Simplified Chinese and English (except for parts of the Jingshi Expressway, which relies fully on Chinese characters). This sharply reduces the language barrier; however, very few toll officials at toll gates speak English.

The signs on Chinese expressways use white lettering on a green background, like Swiss Autobahns and U.S. freeways, but unlike freeways in Germany, France, Austria and the United Kingdom.

Exits are well signposted, with signs far ahead of exits. There are frequent signs that announce the next three exits. At each exit, there is a sign with the distance to the next exit. Exit signs are also posted 3000 m, 2000 m, 1000 m, and 500 m ahead of the exit, immediately before the exit, and at the exit itself.

Service areas and refreshment areas are standard on some of the older, more established expressways, and are expanding in number. Gas stations are frequent.

Signs indicate exits, toll gates, service/refreshment areas, intersections, and also warn about keeping a fair distance apart. "Distance checks" are commonplace; the idea here is to keep the two second rule (or, as PRC law requires, at least a 100 m distance between cars). Speed checks and speed traps are often signposted (in fact, on the Jingshen Expressway in the Beijing section, even the cameras have a warning sign above them), but some may just be scarecrow signs. Signs urging drivers to slow down, warning about hilly terrain, banning driving in emergency lanes, or about different road surfaces are also present. Also appearing from time to time are signs signalling the overtaking lane (which legally should only be used to pass other cars). Although most English signs are comprehensible, occasionally the English is garbled.

Some, if not most, expressways have digital displays. These displays may advise against speeding, indicate upcoming road construction, warn of traffic jams, or alert drivers to rain. Recommended detours are also signalled. The great majority of messages are in Chinese rather than English, however.

Expressway Exit Numbering

Most, if not all Chinese expressways are fitted with exit numbering systems. This system is used nationwide, and often begins at No. 1 (at one of the expressway's starting points). It is not perfect, however: the Jingshi Expressway's numbering system is ridden with chaos.

A rare exit number zero (nought) is seen only after the Jingshi Expressway enters Hebei.

Some exits have sub-exits (e.g. No. 14A, 14B, etc...).

Exit numbering has been standard from virtually day one, as is the case on German Autobahns. However, some other nations are just catching on (e.g. Switzerland only in 2002).

Expressway Tolls and Financing

Nearly all expressways charge tolls. Tolls are roughly around CNY 0.5 per kilometre, and minimum rates (e.g. CNY 5) usually apply regardless of distance. However, some are more expensive (the Jinji Expressway costs around CNY 0.66 per kilometre) and some are less expensive (the Jingshi Expressway in Beijing costs around CNY 0.33 per kilometre). It is noteworthy that "el cheapo" expressways do not necessarily mean poorer roads or a greater risk of traffic congestion.

At present, only cash is being accepted nationwide.

A few expressways use sensor systems, where one sensor is at the toll gate (at a special passageway) and the other is on the passing vehicle.

Expressway planning is performed by the Ministry of Communications. The Chinese word for communcations translates into both transportation and communications. Unlike the road networks in most nations, most Chinese expressways usually are not directly owned by the state, but rather are owned by for-profit corporations (which are have varying amounts of public and private ownership) which borrow money from banks or securities markets based on revenue from projected tollways. One reason for this is that Chinese provinces, which are responsible for road building, have extremely limited powers to tax and even fewer powers to borrow.

Expressway construction has also been one of the rare instances in which the Communist Party of China and the State Council has had to back down on a major policy initiative. During the late-1990's, there were proposals to fund public highways by means of a fuel tax, but this was voted down by the National People's Congress.

Toll Methods

A small number of expressways do not use a card system where an entry card is given upon entrance and the toll charge determined from it. Passage through these expressways is relatively faster but it is economically less advantageous. An example of such an expressway would be the Jingtong Expressway.

However, most expressways use a card system. Upon entrance to an expressway (or to a toll portion of the expressway), an entry card is handed over to the driver. The tolls to be paid are determined from the distance travelled when the driver hands the entry card back to the exit toll gate upon leaving the expressway.

List of Expressways in China

Municipalities: All expressways are ordered by direction (starting from the north, in west-to-east direction).
Other Regions: All expressways are ordered alphabetically.

Radiating out from Beijing

See also: Expressways of Beijing

Existing Expressways

Badaling Expressway (Madian - Kangzhuang)

(Jingda Expressway (Madian - Datong (Shanxi))

(Jinghu Expressway (Beijing - Shanghai)

Jingkai Expressway (Yuquanying - Yufa)
Jingshi Expressway (Liuliqiao - Shijiazhuang)

(Jingzhu Expressway (Liuliqiao - Zhuhai (Guangdong))

Expressways Under Construction

Jingcheng Expressway (Gaoliying - Chengde, under construction as of 2004)
Airport Expressway (Northern Approach Route and 2nd Expressway, under construction as of 2004)
Northern Jingjin Expressway (Tongzhou - Tianjin, under construction as of 2004)