The Mengyuan–Guanlei Port Expressway, constructed by Yunnan Communications Investment & Construction Group Co., Ltd., has officially opened to traffic.
This marks the direct connection between the national-level inland waterway port at Guanlei and China’s expressway network, providing Yunnan with its only expressway access to an international port.
The Mengyuan–Guanlei Port Expressway, invested and constructed by Yunnan Communications Investment & Construction Group Co., Ltd., has opened to traffic. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Located in Mengla County of the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, the expressway starts at the Mengyuan Interchange on the G8511 Kunming–Mohan Expressway and extends to Guanlei Port, a key water transportation hub on the Lancang–Mekong international waterway corridor.
The project valued at around 4.69 billion yuan, spans 29.81 kilometers with a toll distance of 25.164 kilometers. Comprising nearly half of its length, bridges and tunnels form 48.69 percent of the expressway, significantly slashing travel time from 80 to 20 minutes between the starting point and Guanlei Port. This enhancement vastly bolsters regional transport efficiency and logistics capacity.
The opening of the expressway will enhance the regional highway network and lay the foundation for a seamless “water-road-rail” multimodal transport system to support further international openness.
An aerial view of the Mengyuan–Guanlei Port Expressway [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
During construction, the project team faced numerous challenges like landslides, roadbed subsidence, and severe tunnel deformations caused by complex geological conditions. To address these, Yunnan Communications Investment & Construction Group Co., Ltd. deployed advanced technological solutions such as using a digital tunnel management system, intelligent remote monitoring, steel box girder prefabrication with adjustable inner molds and stainless-steel outer molds, and full numerical control construction equipment to improve efficiency.
The project also adopted a wastewater-free treatment system, installed dust-reduction sprinklers at mixing stations, and completed 545,000 square meters of green landscaping. Native tropical species were planted along the route, blending harmoniously with the natural rainforest to form a vibrant ecological corridor.
As a key link between the Guanlei Port and China’s expressway network, the expressway will play a vital role in improving regional connectivity, boosting local socioeconomic development and advancing Yunnan’s position as a gateway for opening up to South and Southeast Asia.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
