The 10th Anniversary of the Three Gorges Dedicated Highway Opening to the Public: National Infrastructure Enhancing People's Lives

The Three Gorges Dedicated Highway stretches 28.64 kilometers and has been a critical lifeline for the construction and operation of the Three Gorges Hub Project since its completion in 1996. This vital artery has facilitated the transportation of personnel, materials, and equipment, significantly reducing travel time between downtown Yichang and the Three Gorges Dam area from 2 hours to just 30 minutes.

To support high-quality local economic development, the China Three Gorges Corporation announced the expanded public opening of the highway on March 1, 2015. Over the past decade, the highway has accommodated over 31 million vehicle trips, with an annual peak of 3.917 million vehicles and a daily traffic peak of 28,000 vehicles.

Three Gorges Dedicated Highway Photo by Tang Wei

What was once a construction route has now transformed into a golden corridor for culture and tourism. Visitor numbers at the Three Gorges Dam Scenic Area have surged by 65%, reaching an annual peak of 3.3 million visitors. Nearby attractions such as Qu Yuan’s Hometown and the Three Gorges Tribe have capitalized on this growth, creating a “30-Minute Cultural and Tourism Ecosphere.” Along the Xiling Gorge, boutique guesthouses have flourished, with occupancy rates in Sandouping Town increasing by 200% since the highway’s opening. Meanwhile, comprehensive tourism revenue in riverside towns has exceeded 10 billion yuan.

Beyond tourism, the highway has spurred the restructuring of the region’s agricultural sector. A green logistics network now enables 24-hour delivery, boosting the price of Zigui navel oranges by 30% and driving a 15-fold increase in e-commerce sales of agricultural products over the past decade. This logistics network connects six major agricultural clusters — including citrus and tea — forming a cross-regional industrial chain with an annual output value exceeding 5 billion yuan. For 50,000 mountain farmers, e-commerce platforms have opened doors to nationwide markets, transforming them into "digital-era farmers" who bring the treasures of the mountains to consumers across the country.