Shanghai's first cross-river tunnel, Dapu Road Tunnel, will soon have a sister tunnel completed to help ease traffic congestion for the 2010 World Expo.

Once the new tunnel is opened, the old Dapu Road Tunnel will be closed for renovations. With a total budget of 1.5 billion yuan (US$220 million), the new tunnel, west of the old tunnel, is expected to be finished by the end of 2009.

It will have two lanes plus a 3 to 4-meter emergency lane underneath. The tunnel, including the above-ground section, will stretch 2.96 kilometers.

The new tunnel will have two entrances in Puxi and two in Pudong. The two entrances in Puxi are at Longhua Road E. and Ruijin Road while the two in Pudong are at Changqing Road and Xueye Road. All except the Xueye Road entrance will be open before the Expo. The Xueye Road entrance is due to open after 2010.

The tunnel will be built in two phases. During the first phase of construction, the old Dapu Road Tunnel will be open to traffic during the day and closed for renovations at night.

During the second phase it will be closed completely and will reopen before the Expo, said Project Manager Zhang Rencai.

The original Dapu Road Tunnel was opened in 1972. After 36 years in operation, its ventilation and drainage systems are struggling to cope with the current traffic load.

The Dapu Road Tunnel is the only cross-river tunnel that allows trucks. But after the new tunnel is finished, both tunnels will mostly carry cars and buses.

(Shanghai Daily July 23, 2008)