China's first cross-river tunnel, Dapu Tunnel in the eastern metropolis of Shanghai, will be closed on Friday for massive reconstruction, the municipal government said on Monday.

The 2.7-km-long tunnel, built in 1965, bridges the east and west banks of Huangpu River which divides the city in half.

The tunnel lies in the core of Shanghai 2010 Expo site. The reconstruction is expected to end next March before the opening of the Expo on May 1.

It is initially designed with a two-way traffic flow of 670 vehicles per hour. After two renovations - -one in 1989 and the other in 2004, now 2,587 vehicles run through it in every sixty minutes.

The reconstruction project will improve the tunnel's ventilation conditions, road surface and replace outdated or failing equipments.

After reconstruction, it will be shifted from a two-way tunnel to an east-to-west single-way tunnel. Dapu tunnel, together with a second tunnel being built 12 meters to its west, will form a four-lane two-way transportation system.

The troubles caused by the enclosure of Dapu tunnel for the commuters could be offset by the newly built South Xizang Road tunnel and the second phase of Shanghai Subway Line 8, which opened Sunday, the local government said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2009)