一隧通南北 天堑变通途 乌尉高速壮举的背后是无数人的坚守

Core Viewpoint - The completion of the Urumqi to Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture Weili County expressway (Uwei Expressway) marks a significant infrastructure achievement, breaking through the natural barrier of the Tianshan Mountains and greatly reducing travel time between regions [1][14]. Group 1: Project Overview - The Uwei Expressway, with a total length of 324.7 kilometers, will officially open on December 26, 2025, after 5 years and 8 months of construction that began in April 2020 [1][2]. - The project includes the construction of the 22.13-kilometer Victory Tunnel, which significantly reduces travel time from 3 hours to just 20 minutes [2][14]. Group 2: Construction Techniques - The construction utilized a unique "three-tunnel" and "four-vertical shaft" method, which differs from traditional dual-tunnel excavation techniques, allowing for simultaneous work on multiple fronts [4][10]. - Two specialized hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBMs), named "Tianshan" and "Victory," were employed, each with a cutter head diameter of 8.43 meters, designed to tackle the challenging geological conditions [8][23]. Group 3: Achievements and Innovations - The construction period for the tunnel was reduced from 72 months to 52 months, setting a new record for similar highway tunnel projects [10][33]. - The Victory Tunnel is noted for being the world's deepest highway vertical shaft at 707 meters, equivalent to 236 stories [20][18]. Group 4: Economic and Social Impact - The Uwei Expressway will halve the driving time from Urumqi to Korla from 7 hours to 3.5 hours, enhancing the transportation of agricultural products and boosting tourism [14][16]. - The expressway is expected to facilitate the rapid delivery of fresh produce to urban markets, improving the overall logistics and economic connectivity between northern and southern Xinjiang [14][16].