Taken from wikipedia:
The
expressway network of China is an integrated system of national and provincial-level
expressways in China. It is the world's largest expressway system by length, having surpassed the overall length of the American
Interstate Highway System in 2011. Between the end of 2014 and 2015, the total length of the network grew from 111,950 kilometres (69,560 mi) to 123,000 kilometres (76,000 mi) meaning 11,050 kilometres (6,870 mi) of expressway were built in 2015 alone. A system of national-level expressways, officially known as the
National Trunk Highway System (
simplified Chinese: 中国国家高速公路网;
traditional Chinese: 中國國家高速公路網;
pinyin:
Zhōngguó Guójiā Gāosù Gōnglùwǎng) and abbreviated
NTHS, with 7 radial expressways (from the capital
Beijing), 9 north-south expressways and 18 east-west expressways, forms the backbone of the expressway network in the country. This backbone is known as the
7918 network (
simplified Chinese: 7918网;
traditional Chinese: 7918網;
pinyin:
7918 wǎng). In addition, the
provincial-level divisions of China each have their own expressway systems.
Expressways in China are a fairly recent addition to the transportation infrastructure in the country. Previously, the national road network consisted of a system of at-grade
China National Highways. China's first expressway, the
Shanghai–Jiading Expressway, opened in October 1988. This 17.37 kilometres (10.79 mi) expressway now forms part of
Shanghai's expressway network. The early 1990s saw the start of the country's massive plan to upgrade its network of roads. In 1999, the length of the network exceeded 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi) in length. Many of the major expressways parallel routes of the older
China National Highways.
Expressway nomenclature
Neither officially named "motorway" nor "highway", China used to call these roads "freeways". In this sense, the word "free" means that the traffic is free-flowing; that is, cross traffic is
grade separated and the traffic on the freeway is not impeded by traffic control devices like
traffic lights and
stop signs. However, many misinterpret "free" as meaning "no cost", and this may be misleading because most of the expressways charge tolls. Some time 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.
The names of the individual expressways are regularly composed of two characters representing start and end of expressway, e.g. "Jingcheng" expressway is the expressway between "Jing" (meaning Beijing) and Chengde.
Expressway speed limits
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 (75 mph), effective May 1, 2004.
A minimum speed limit of 70 km/h is in force. 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 enforced.
Expressway legislation
Only motor vehicles are allowed to enter expressways. As of May 1, 2004, "new drivers" (i.e., those with a Chinese
driver's licence for less than a year) are allowed on 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.
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