Hebei to expand transportation projects during 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30)

Hebei province is set to launch multiple key transportation projects during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) to further strengthen connectivity within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, local transport authorities said on Wednesday.

The upcoming projects will increase regional integration, with several major expressways scheduled for construction, said Zhao Tongan, a senior official with the Hebei Transport Department, at a press conference held by the Information Office of the Hebei Provincial People's Government.

According to Zhao, the Tanglang (Tangshan-Langfang) Expressway, planned for construction in 2026, will ensure that the capital's ring expressways can bypass Beijing, helping alleviate traffic pressure on the capital.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the Langzhuo (Langfang-Zhuozhou) Expressway section from four to eight lanes is already underway and expected to be completed by 2027. Once completed, it will increase the capacity and service level of the capital's comprehensive transportation corridor.

Another crucial project, the Jingwu (Beijing-Wuhan) Expressway's section from Qingyuan district in Baoding to Weixian county in Handan, will create a high-speed corridor stretching 314 kilometers through Hebei. It will begin construction in 2027.

The G335 highway upgrade, currently under construction, will improve connections between Zhangjiakou and Beijing upon its completion in 2027.

These new initiatives build upon the substantial progress made during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). The province added 18 expressway segments connecting with Beijing and Tianjin, bringing the number of inter-provincial or city trunk roads to 54 segments with 80 interfaces, according to Song Rentang, head of the Hebei Transport Department.

These infrastructure developments have been crucial in advancing regional coordination while providing more efficient travel options for residents across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, he said.

Pang Jingyi contributed to the story.