THE project renovating Meiguan Expressway into an urban trunk road will be initiated soon, according to a public notice from the construction center of the Shenzhen transport bureau, which is seeking public opinion on occupying the urban green space for the project.

The renovation covers an 8-kilometer section between the former Meilin Tollgate and Qinghu Flyover and will take about four years to complete, until the end of 2023, the notice shows.

In 2019, the city will invest 600 million yuan (US$85.44 million) into the renovation of interchange flyovers, bridges, tunnels and passages along Meiguan Expressway. Some land parcels along the expressway will be revitalized, and short-trip bus routes segmented by the expressway will be connected to provide convenience for neighborhoods, according to the plan.

Following the renovation, Meiguan Expressway will be like Shennan Boulevard, running along the central axis of the city. Under the project, eight interchange flyovers and 25 tunnels, footbridges and passages will be built to connect the expressway with other roads in Longhua Subdistrict, Longhua District and Bantian Subdistrict, Longgang District.

Meiguan Expressway was put into use in 1995.

The city government canceled toll fees on the section of Meiguan Expressway between Meilin and Guanlan in 2014 to promote economic development and decided to renovate the expressway into a trunk road.

(Richard Han)