2016-11-11 17:08:53

With the fast construction of mage-city, Yichang has developed its transportation with the times and become a regional hub, the "thoroughfare of central China”. Benefiting from the new national railway planning, it has further integrated into the backbone network of national railway transportation, pushing its railway and rail transit system into rapid development track.
On Oct. 30th, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission held a press conference of key railway construction projects, informing the public about railway project and rail transit planning in Yichang.
No more traffic jam: light rail construction hopefully starting at the end of 2017　　
Yichang is qualified to apply for rail transit that can better serve for Mage-city construction. It is just in time.
Therefore, Yichang has applied for the construction of Line 1, 2 and 3, the first phase of rail transit with a total length of 72 kilometer, which is hopefully started at the end of 2017. Now Yichang has started compiling work of rail transit construction planning. After getting approval, it will build Line 2 at first.
With a total investment of 15.8 billion yuan. the Line 1 in the Phase I project is designed to build 17 stations with a total length of 21.1 kilometer including  Gezhouba Station and Zhijiaoyuan Station as two terminals and other stations running along Yiling Avenue, Jucheng Road and Hanyi Avenue The Line 2 will build 12 stations with a total length of 34.3 kilometer, including Yiling Square Station and Xiaoting Station as two terminals and other stations laying along Xiling 1st Road, Chengdong Avenue, Dongzhan 2nd Road, Airport Road, Yingbin Avenue and Xiaoting Avenue, with a total investment of 16.1 billion yuan. The Line 3, with a total investment of 11.2 billion yuan, is expected to build 11 stations with a total length of 16.8 kilometer including Yiling Square Station and Bayuping Station as the terminals and other ones  laying along Xiling 1st Road, Fazhan Avenue..
The interchange station between Line 1 and Line 2 is planned to be built under Yichangdong Station Square; the Airport Station of Line 2 is planned to be set around Sanxia Airport of Phase II; after the location for new North Yichang High-speed rail Station is settled, Yichang will adjust its rail transit network planning to realize the seamless connection between rail transit and new rail way station.　　
In this November, Yichang will start the renovation controlling project of the existing railway between Yichangdong Station and Xiaoxita Station, which ran for 21.19 kilometer with 9 stations set as wind and rain proof corridors and a total investment of 1.47 billion yuan. This renovation project will make useful supplement on urban public transport and promote reconstruction of old city.   
More convenient freight transporatioin: “crossing dam from south to north” covering the shortage of dam traffic　　
To improve Three Gorges comprehensive transportation system, Yichang has designed Three Gorges railway-waterway transport railway (north route) project, known as “crossing dam from south to north”, and Zigui Maoping Harbor evacuation railway project, effectively easing the problem of the lack of lock’s traffic ability.　　
The Three Gorges joint railway-waterway transport railway starts from Taipingxi Harbor on dam and connects Yaqueling-Yichang railway at Hongtu Station with the construction mileage of 70 kilometer and investment of 5.56 billion yuan. Zigui Maoping Harbor evacuation railway starts from Maoping Harbor on dam and conncets Yichang-Wanzhou railway at Dianjunnan Station with the construction mileage of 40 kilometer and investment of 2.5 billion yuan.
The branch railway line between Dangyang-Yuananextension is planned to be built as a green transport channel for mining in west Hubei with a construction mileage of 60 kilometer and investment of 3.9 billion yuan. In addition, Yichang has absorbed 2.3 billion yuan from Hubei province to build 36-kilometer Ziyun local railway, which connects Xiaoting, Baiyang and Yaojiagang development zone with four harbors including Yunchi, Baiyang, Tianjiahe and Yaojiagang Harbor.
Moreover, Yichang plans to apply for six harbor evacuation railways including Three Gorges railway-waterway transport railway (north route), Zigui Maoping Harbor evacuation railway, Yunchi Harbor evacuation railway, Ziyun local railway, Baiyang Harbor evacuation railway, Zhicheng Harbor evacuation railway. After completion, Yichang will realize the seamless connection between harbors and railways. Yichang is also actively planning the construction of railway logistics center and “Yichang-Xinjiang-Europe” railway which will mainly go along Yichangdong, Xiangyang, Nanyang, Xianxi, Yumendong, Haminan and Alashankou Station with a length of 3,854 kilometer in China. 
More comfortably traveling to key tourists sites by train.
Yichang is planning to build some fast, convenient and green tourism rail transit. At that time, citizens can take more convenient way to key tourist sites like Three Gorges and Shennongjia, and they can even stay on train during the whole journey to Qingjiang River Gallery.
The city railway between Xiaoxita and Three Gorges Dam is mainly planned for serving passenger flow in the area of Three Gorges Dam and the peripheral travelling, with a construction mileage of 43 kilometer. It is in preliminary study, aimed at building express city railway
Changyang Qingjiang River Gallery Longzhouping-Yuxiakou railway transit project, which is still in preliminary study, starts from Longzhouping and ends at Qingjiang River Hot Spring, via Geheyan, Yazikou, Ziqiu and Yuxiakou, with a total length of 90 kilometer and investment of 5 billion . 　　
Xingshan Gufu-Shennongjia Muyu city railway starts from Xingshan Station in Zhengzhou-Wanzhou railway and ends at Muyu in Shennongjia, via Xingshan Nnayang, with a total length of 40 kilometer. Now it’s still under planning and researching.
Half-time-saving Travelling to Beijing, Guangzhou and Chongqing
The recent Medium-Long-Term Railway Network Plan shows that one vertical, Huhehaote-Nanning railway, and one horizontal along the Yangtze River, from “eight verticals and eight horizontals” in national railway network, cross at Yichang, making Yichang the most benefited city in the new railway planning.
The north section of Huhehaote-Nanning railway in Yichang is a high speed railway, with a designed speed at 350 kph, from Xiangyang via Jingmen to Yicahng and a construction mileage of 200 kilometer, among which 83 kilometer runs within Yichang and total investment of 24 billion yuan. At present feasibility studies are being pushed forward to meet the requirements for starting construction in 2017. Upon completion, the time to get Beijing from Yichang will be decreased from more than 7 hours into about 4 hours. The south section of Huhehaote-Nanning railway inYichang is Yichang-Changde high speed railway, with a construction mileage of 200 kilometer, 80 kilometer within Yichang and total investment of 24 billion yuan. At present preliminary work is promptly beginning. Upon completion, the travelling from Yichang to Guangzhou will be decreased from 7.5 hours to about 4.5 hours.　　
The high speed rail link of Zhengzhou-Wanzhou Railway, the channel along Yangtze River, starts from the west part of Yichangdong Station and gets connected with the future Zhengzhou-Wanzhou railway, with a construction mileage of 100 kilometer, a designed speed of 350 kph and a total investment of 12 billion yuan. At present China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group has started its work, trying to meet the requirements for starting construction in 2017. Upon completion, disadvantage of low speed of Yichang-Wanzhou railway along the Yangtze River will be eliminated and the time to get Chongqing from Yichang will be decreased from 5 hours at present to 2 hours.
When many proposed railways are finished, Yichang will build supporting stations like Yichangbei Station, Xingshan Station, Dangyang Station, Yuanan Station, Changyang Station, Wufeng Station and expand north square of Yichangdong Station.( Reporters: Gao Wei and Fu Jun)