When will the Rongwei Expressway open to traffic?
2 Answers
The entire Rongwei Expressway was completed and opened to traffic on September 30, 2020. The Rongwei Expressway, also known as the Rongcheng to Weifang Expressway, is the third connecting line in the "Eight Vertical, Four Horizontal, One Ring, and Eight Connections" long-term planning of Shandong Province's expressway network, with the highway number being Lu Expressway S16. The Rongwei Expressway is located in the central and eastern part of the Shandong Peninsula, starting from Rongcheng City in the east (connecting to Provincial Highway 203 north of Laoshan Office) and ending in Weifang City in the west (connecting to the Weifang to Xuzhou section of National Highway 206, the Weishan Line). An expressway, commonly referred to as a highway, is a road specifically designed for high-speed vehicle travel. As of December 28, 2018, the total length of China's expressways has reached 140,000 kilometers.
The Rongwei Expressway, connecting Rongcheng and Weifang in Shandong, is a route I've driven for over 20 years on long-distance trips, witnessing its construction phases. To my knowledge, it's expected to be fully operational by 2024, with some sections currently in the testing phase. As a seasoned driver, once this expressway opens, it will save nearly an hour from Jinan to Rongcheng, making driving safer and more fuel-efficient. Looking back, with fewer bypass options and frequent traffic jams, now it directly reaches the coast, making weekend beach trips much more convenient. The expressway not only enhances travel efficiency but also boosts local economies—for instance, seafood transportation is much faster, reducing logistics costs. If it officially opens by late this year or early next, I advise drivers to plan ahead, avoid peak hours, and enjoy a more relaxed driving experience.
