Manny Ita –
China has opened a 22.13-kilometre highway tunnel, setting a new record as the longest road tunnel in the world and marking another milestone in large-scale infrastructure engineering.
The newly completed tunnel stretches more than 13.5 miles beneath mountainous terrain in western China, providing a direct route through regions long known for steep landscapes, harsh weather conditions and dangerous mountain passes.
The project forms part of China’s broader effort to improve transportation links across difficult terrain, where travel has historically been slowed by winding cliff-side roads, seasonal snow and landslides. For decades, journeys across these areas often required long detours and careful navigation through narrow, high-altitude routes that were frequently closed during severe weather.
With the new tunnel now operational, motorists can travel through the mountain in approximately 15 to 20 minutes at standard expressway speeds, significantly reducing travel time across the region and improving year-round accessibility for local communities, commercial transport and emergency services.
Before excavation began, teams of engineers and geologists conducted extensive surveys to analyse rock formations, underground water channels and structural stability along the planned route. The tunnel passes through varied geological layers, including hard granite and more fragile sedimentary rock, requiring different construction techniques during the project.
In some sections, large tunnel-boring machines were used to cut through solid rock, while other areas required controlled blasting followed by the installation of steel supports and concrete linings to stabilise the structure.
Construction involved thousands of workers, engineers and technicians operating in rotating shifts as excavation progressed simultaneously from multiple directions inside the mountain. Ventilation systems supplied fresh air to underground work zones, while conveyor systems transported excavated rock out of the tunnel.
Precision alignment technology was also used to ensure the different excavation fronts met accurately beneath the mountain. Engineers relied on advanced laser-guided systems to maintain alignment across long distances, allowing teams tunnelling from opposite sides to connect successfully.
The finished tunnel includes a range of safety systems designed for long-distance highway travel. These include advanced ventilation systems to manage vehicle exhaust, smoke detection and fire suppression equipment, traffic monitoring cameras and emergency communication networks.
Emergency bays and cross-passages are positioned along the tunnel walls to allow evacuation and access to service routes if accidents or mechanical failures occur. Sensors continuously monitor air quality, temperature and traffic flow inside the structure.
Infrastructure planners say the tunnel will improve transportation efficiency by bypassing hazardous mountain roads and providing a more reliable connection between communities and economic centres in the region.
The project also reflects China’s broader infrastructure strategy, which has seen the country construct numerous large-scale bridges, tunnels and high-speed rail lines to connect remote or mountainous regions more effectively.
Officials say tunnels can reduce surface disruption compared with open mountain highways, although the project still required environmental planning to address issues such as rock disposal, water systems and ecological impacts. Excavated rock from the project was reused for nearby road construction and land stabilisation in an effort to limit environmental damage.
With its 22.13-kilometre length, the tunnel now holds the global record for the longest highway tunnel in operation, highlighting China’s continuing push to develop complex engineering projects aimed at improving national connectivity and transportation efficiency.
