The 299.7 km four-lane expressway was constructed along the existing two-lane class II national highway (G314) and about 85.0 km of the existing highway was intermittently utilized as a part of the expressway. The advantages of using the existing road were the low cost of construction and less land acquisition and resettlement. However, there were disadvantages. First, using the existing road resulted in higher maintenance costs. Destruction of the existing road will be accelerated as traffic volume increases, since the existing road was built with a lower design standard for structure and pavement. Thus, major maintenance or reconstruction of the existing road will need to be carried out much earlier than for the newly built sections, which will increase maintenance costs and cause disturbance to road users. Secondly, using the existing road resulted in inconvenience to the local residents, especially for short distance travel. The national highway had served as the main road for local residents, which was free and easy to access. After construction of the expressway, local residents now have to travel longer distances since the expressway is enclosed and can only be entered at interchanges, and no alternative road was provided parallel to the expressway.
Xinjiang Regional Road Improvement Project (Korla - Kuqa Section)