Jingkai Expressway

The Jingkai Expressway (京开高速公路, Hanyu Pinyin: Jīngkāi Gāosù Gōnglù) is an expressway in China which links Beijing to Kaifeng. At present, it is approximately 40 km in length in the Beijing section.

Opened just after the turn of the century, the relatively new expressway links Beijing south of Yuquanying (on the Southern 3rd Ring Road) to the ancient Chinese capital of Kaifeng. Only the segment running through Yufa, South Beijing, is complete. The expressway runs directly south and is particularly easily accessible heading south from the western 2nd Ring Road.

The Jingkai Expressway gets its name by the combination of two one-character Chinese abbreviations of both Beijing and Kaifeng (Beijing -> jing, Kaifeng -> kai).

Route

The Jingkai Expressway, in its Beijing portion, runs within the confines of the municipality of Beijing.

Basic Route: Beijing (Yuquanying - Daxing - Huangcun - Panggezhuang - Yufa) - China National Highway 106

Status: The Beijing portion is complete through Yufa, where it becomes China National Highway 106 after the Yufa Toll Gate.

Note: Some maps of the expressway incorrectly show it ending after a bridge near Gu'an in Hebei province. The actual terminus for the moment comes earlier, at Yufa. In 2004, an additional 7 kilometres of the Jingkai Expressway was announced.

History

The expressway was opened ahead of time from Yuquanying through to Yufa.

Its construction was of great importance as it quickly sped development in south Beijing, which was previously lacklustre territory.

Late on October 7, 2004, an accident occurred on the stretch heading south, near Lihua Bridge, as a large passenger vehicle collided with a lorry carrying coal. Twenty police offers from Hebei were injured.

Portions under construction or projection

The entire expressway is expected to link to Kaifeng; however, only a meagre 40-odd kilometres have been built in the Beijing section. Kaifeng is over 700 kilometres away from Beijing (to the south).

In 2004, an additional 7 kilometres of the Jingkai Expressway was announced, possibly finally linking it to Gu'an. China National Highway 106 coming into Beijing after Gu'an already has portions of the national highway redone as an expressway, albeit only for a kilometre or two.

Road conditions

peed limit

Before Xihongmen Toll Gate, minimum 50 km/h, maximum 70 - 90 km/h; after Xihongmen Toll Gate, minimum 60 km/h, maximum 110 km/h. Speed checks are concentrated in the Yuquanying - 5th Ring Road area and get less after that.

Tolls

CNY 0.5/km as of 5th Ring Road intersection for sections south of the toll gate. (The 5th Ring Road intersection is free only for vehicles heading south toward Kaifeng.) Entire stretch from Yuquanying to Yufa costs CNY 20 (price for small passenger cars). Networked with 6th Ring Road toll system.

Lanes

6 lanes (3 up, 3 down) from Yuquanying - S. 6th Ring Road; 4 lanes (2 up, 2 down) thereafter.

urface conditions

Good; portions further south are better.

Major exits

Beijing Section: S. 3rd Ring Road, S. 4th Ring Road, S. 5th Ring Road, Daxing, S. 6th Ring Road, Panggezhuang, Yufa.

ervice areas

Beijing Section: None signposted, but one appears (both directions) near Tianguanmen.

Connections

Ring Roads of Beijing: Connects with the S. 3rd Ring Road at Yuquanying, the S. 4th Ring Road at Majialou, the S. 5th Ring Road at Xihongmen, and the S. 6th Ring Road at Shuangyuan Bridge.

The southern part of the expressway is linked to the Beijing Wildlife Park.

List of exits

Beijing section

[In operation now, heading south]

* No. 1: "(Interchange with 3rd Ring Road)" Muxiyuan, Nansanhuan (S. 3rd Ring Road)
* No. 2: Xinfadi
* No. 3: "(Interchange with 4th Ring Road)" Majialou, Nansihuan (S. 4th Ring Road)
* No. 4: Liangxiang, Xihongmen
* "Xihongmen Toll Gate"
* "(Interchange with 5th Ring Road)" S. 5th Ring Road
* No. 5: Daxing Industrial Area
* No. 6: Huangcun
* No. 7A + 7B: "(Interchange with 6th Ring Road)" Nanliuhuan (S. 6th Ring Road)
* No. 8: Tiangongyuan "-- only if leaving Beijing"
* No. 9: Sanrong "-- only if coming into Beijing"
* "Filling Station"
* No. 10: Panggezhuang "-- Exit No. 11 if coming into Beijing"
* No. 12: Lihua Bridge
* No. 13: Dali Road
* "Yufa Toll Gate": Continues as China National Highway 106